‘Have you seen her?’ said Miss Le Smyrger, very anxiously, when he came into the drawing-room.

‘Miss Woolsworthy you mean,’ said he.  ’Yes, I’ve seen her.  As I found her out I took a long walk and happened to meet her.  Do you know, aunt, I think I’ll go to bed; I was up at five this morning, and have been on the move ever since.’

Miss Le Smyrger perceived that she was to hear nothing that evening, so she handed him his candlestick and allowed him to go to his room.

But Captain Broughton did not immediately retire to bed, nor when he did so was he able to sleep at once.  Had this step that he had taken been a wise one?  He was not a man who, in worldly matters, had allowed things to arrange themselves for him, as is the case with so many men.  He had formed views for himself, and had a theory of life.  Money for money’s sake he had declared to himself to be bad.  Money, as a concomitant to things which were in themselves good, he had declared to himself to be good also.  That concomitant in this affair of his marriage, he had now missed.  Well; he had made up his mind to that, and would put up with the loss.  He had means of living of his own, though means not so extensive as might have been desirable.  That it would be well for him to become a married man, looking merely to that state of life as opposed to his present state, he had fully resolved.  On that point, therefore, there was nothing to repent.  That Patty Woolsworthy was good, affectionate, clever, and beautiful, he was sufficiently satisfied.  It would be odd indeed if he were not so satisfied now, seeing that for the last four months he had declared to himself daily that she was so with many inward asseverations.  And yet though he repeated now again that he was satisfied, I do not think that he was so fully satisfied of it as he had been throughout the whole of those four months.  It is sad to say so, but I fear—­I fear that such was the case.  When you have your plaything how much of the anticipated pleasure vanishes, especially if it have been won easily!

He had told none of his family what were his intentions in this second visit to Devonshire, and now he had to bethink himself whether they would be satisfied.  What would his sister say, she who had married the Honourable Augustus Gumbleton, gold-stick-in-waiting to Her Majesty’s Privy Council?  Would she receive Patience with open arms, and make much of her about London?  And then how far would London suit Patience, or would Patience suit London?  There would be much for him to do in teaching her, and it would be well for him to set about the lesson without loss of time.  So far he got that night, but when the morning came he went a step further, and began mentally to criticize her manner to himself.  It had been very sweet, that warm, that full, that ready declaration of love.  Yes; it had been very sweet; but—­but—­; when, after her little jokes, she did confess her love, had she not been a little too free for feminine excellence?  A man likes to be told that he is loved, but he hardly wishes that the girl he is to marry should fling herself at his head!