“Speak English, my dear man.  I don’t exactly know what you’re talking about.  But I suppose you mean I’d better not?”

Mrs. Northover was a little disappointed and Richard perceived it.

“Be calm, and don’t let me sweep you off your feet as I’ve been swept off mine,” he answered.  “Since I discovered marriage was a possibility in your mind, I am obliged to confess that it’s grown up to be a possibility in mine.  And why not?”

“No reason at all.  ’Twas the wonder of Bridport, you might say for years, why you remained single.”

“Well, this I’ll tell you, Nelly; I’m not going to have you marrying any Dick, Tom or Harry that’s daring enough to lift his eyes to you and cheeky enough to offer.  And when the thought came in my mind, I very soon found that this event rose up ideas that might have slumbered till eternity, but for Job Legg.  And that’s why I say Providence is in it.  I’ve felt a great admiration for your judgment, and good sense, and fine appearance, ever since the blow fell and your husband was taken.  And we know each other pretty close and have got no secrets from each other.  And now you may say I’ve suddenly seen the light; and if you’ve got half the opinion of me that I have of you, no doubt you’ll thank your God to hear what I’m saying and answer according.”

“Good powers!  You want to marry me yourself?” gasped Mrs. Northover.

“By all your ‘Seven Stars’ I do,” he said.  “In fact, I want for ’The Tiger’ to swallow the ‘Seven Stars,’ in a poetical way of speaking.  I’m a downright man and never take ten minutes where five’s enough, so there it is.  It came over me last night as a thing that must be—­like the conversion of Paul.  And I’ll go further; I won’t have you beat about the bush, Nelly.  You’re the sort of woman that can make up your mind in a big thing as quick as you can in a small thing.  I consider there’s been a good deal of a delicate and tender nature going on between us, though we were too busy to notice it; but now the bud have burst into flower, and I see amazing clear we were made for each other.  In fact, I ain’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer, my dear.  I’ve never asked a female to marry me until this hour; and I have not waited into greyness and ripeness to hear a negative.  I’m sure of myself, naturally, and I well know that you’d only be a thought less fortunate than I shall be.”

“Stop!” she said, “and let me think.  I’m terrible flattered at this, and I’ll go so far as to say there’s rhyme and reason in it, Richard.  But you run on so.  I feel my will power fairly oozing out of me.”

“Not at all,” he answered.  “Your will power’s what I rely upon.  You’re a forceful person yourself and you naturally approve of forcefulness in others.  There’s no reason why you shouldn’t love me as well as I love you; and, for that matter, you do.”

“Well, I must have time.  I must drop Legg civilly and break it to him gradual.”