“Well, Gilbert,” exclaimed the matron, after receiving his tidings with tightly-closed lips and a generally antagonistic demeanour, “I can only say, that if you must marry at all—­and I am sure I thought you had quite settled down as a bachelor, with your excellent lodgings in Wigmore Street, and every I possible comfort in life—­I think you might have chosen much better than this.  Of course, I don’t want to be rude or unpleasant; but I cannot help saying, that I consider any man a fool who allows himself to be captivated by a pretty face.”

“I have found a great deal more than a pretty face to admire in Marian Nowell.”

“Indeed!  Can you name any other advantages which she possesses?”

“Amiability, good sense, and a pure and refined nature.”

“What warrant have you for all those things?  Mind, Gilbert, I like the girl well enough; I have nothing to say against her; but I cannot help thinking it a most unfortunate match for you.”

“How unfortunate?”

“The girl’s position is so very doubtful.”

“Position!” echoed Gilbert impatiently.  “That sort of talk is one of the consequences of living in such a place as Lidford.  You talk about position, as if I were a prince of the blood-royal, whose marriage would be registered in every almanac in the kingdom.”

“If she were really the Captain’s niece, it would be a different thing,” harped Mrs. Lister, without noticing this contemptuous interruption; “but to marry a girl about whose relations nobody knows anything!  I suppose even you have not been told who her father and mother were.”

“I know quite enough about them.  Captain Sedgewick has been candour itself upon the subject.”

“And are the father and mother both dead?”

“Miss Nowell’s mother has been dead many years.”

“And her father?”

“Captain Sedgewick does not know whether he is dead or living.”

“Ah!” exclaimed Mrs. Lister with a profound sigh; “I should have thought as much.  And you are really going to marry a girl with this disreputable mystery about her belongings?”

“There is nothing either disreputable or mysterious.  People are sometimes lost sight of in this world.  Mr. Nowell was a bad husband and an indifferent father, and Captain Sedgewick adopted his daughter; that is all.”

“And no doubt, after you are married, this Mr. Nowell will make his appearance some day, and be a burden upon you.”

“I am not afraid of that.  And now, Belle, as this is a subject upon which we don’t seem very likely to agree, I think we had better drop it.  I considered it only right to tell you of my engagement.”

On this his sister softened a little, and promised Gilbert that she would do her best to be kind to Miss Nowell.

“You won’t be married for some time to come, of course,” she said.

“I don’t know about that, Belle.  There is nothing to prevent a speedy marriage.”