‘And not a servant to be had far or near,’ she went on with agitated volubility; ’and as for another like myself, of course that’s too much to be hoped for.’  She did not say this out of conceit, but merely as representing the actual state of affairs.

The schoolmaster began to look frightened.  He was not a matter-of-fact person, but, as long as a man is a man, the prospect of being left altogether without his meals must be appalling.

‘So, why you shouldn’t get married, I don’t know.’  She added this in tremulous excitement, speaking in an argumentative way, as if she had led him by an ordered process of thought to an inevitable conclusion.

‘Oh!’ exclaimed the schoolmaster in surprise again, this time because he had heard what was said.

The worst was over now; and Mrs. Sims, having once suggested the desperate idea of the necessity of marriage, could proceed more calmly.  She found, however, that she had to explain the notion at length before he could at all grasp it, and then she was obliged to urge its necessity for some time before he was willing to consider it.  He became agitated in his turn, and, rising, walked up and down the room, his arms folded and an absent look in his eyes, as though he were thinking of things farther off.

’I do not mind telling you, for I believe you are a motherly woman, Mrs. Sims, that it is not the first time that the thought of marriage has crossed my mind’ (with solemn hesitation).  ’I have thought of it before; but I have always been hindered from giving it serious consideration from the belief that no woman would be willing to—­ah—­to marry me.’

‘Well, of course there’s some truth in that, sir,’ said his faithful friend, reluctantly obliged by her conscience to say what she thought.

‘Just so, Mrs. Sims,’ said the schoolmaster with a patient sigh; ’and therefore, perhaps it will be unnecessary to discuss the subject further.’

’Still, there’s no accounting for tastes; there might be some found that would.’

‘It would not be necessary to find more than one,’ said he, with a quiet smile.

’No, that’s true, sir, which makes the matter rather easier.  It’s always been my belief that while there is life there is hope.’

‘True, true,’ he replied; and then he indulged in a long fit of musing, which she more than suspected had little to do with the immediate bearing of the subject on his present case.  It was necessary to rouse him, for there was no time to be lost.

’Of course I don’t say that there’s many that would have you; there’s girls enough—­but laws! they’d all make game of you if you were to go a-courting to them, and, I take it, courting’s not the sort of thing you’re cleverest at.’

‘True,’ said the schoolmaster again, and again he sighed.

’But now, a good sensible woman, like Miss Blakely, as would keep you and your house clean and tidy, not to speak of cooking—­I make bold to say you couldn’t do better than to get such a one, if she might be so minded.’