“I don’t see that at all,” said Archie, briskly; “—­unless they are old and ugly, and that kind of thing.  When a widow has become a widow after she has been married ever so many years, why then I suppose she looks to be left alone; and I suppose they like it.”

“Indeed, I can’t say.  I don’t like it.”

“Then you would wish to change?”

“It is a very intricate subject, Captain Clavering, and one which I do not think I am quite disposed to discuss at present.  After a year or two, perhaps I shall go into society again.  Most widows do, I believe.”

“But I was thinking of something else,” said Archie, working himself up to the point with great energy, but still with many signs that he was ill at ease at his work.  “I was, by Jove!”

“And of what were you thinking, Captain Clavering?”

“I was thinking—­of course you know, Julia, that since poor little Hughy’s death, I am the next in for the title?”

“Poor Hughy!  I’m sure you are too generous to rejoice at that.”

“Indeed I am.  When two fellows offered me a dinner at the club on the score of my chances, I wouldn’t have it.  But there’s the fact; isn’t it?”

“There is no doubt of that, I believe.”

“None on earth; and the most of it is entailed, too; not that Hugh would leave an acre away from the title.  I’m as safe as wax as far as that is concerned.  I don’t suppose he ever borrowed a shilling or mortgaged an acre in his life.”

“I should think he was a prudent man.”

“We are both of us prudent.  I will say that of myself; though I oughtn’t to say it.  And now, Julia—­a few words are the best after all.  Look here—­if you’ll take me just as I am, I’m blessed if I shan’t be the happiest fellow in all London.  I shall indeed.  I’ve always been uncommon fond of you, though I never said anything about it in the old days, because—­because you see, what’s the use of a man asking a girl to marry him if they haven’t got a farthing between them.  I think it’s wrong; I do, indeed; but it’s different now, you know.”  It certainly was very different now.

“Captain Clavering,” she said, “I’m sorry you should have troubled yourself with such an idea as this.”

“Don’t say that, Julia.  It’s no trouble; it’s a pleasure.”

“But such a thing as you mean never can take place.”

“Yes, it can.  Why can’t it?  I ain’t in a hurry.  I’ll wait your own time, and do just whatever you wish all the while.  Don’t say no without thinking about it, Julia.”

“It is one of those things, Captain Clavering, which want no more thinking than what a woman can give to it at the first moment.”

“Ah—­you think so now, because you’re surprised a little.”

“Well; I am surprised a little, as our previous intercourse was never of a nature to make such a proposition as this at all probable.”

“That was merely because I didn’t think it right,” said Archie, who, now that he had worked himself into the vein, liked the sound of his own voice.  “It was indeed.”