’Why, Mr Gresham, what on earth do you mean?  In all human probability I shall never write another line to Mr de Courcy; but, if I did, what possible harm could it do you?’

’Oh, Miss Dunstable! you do not in the least understand what my feelings are.’

’Don’t I?  Then I hope I never shall.  I thought I did.  I thought they were the feelings of a good, true-hearted friend; feelings that I could sometimes look back upon with pleasure as being honest when so much that one meets is false.  I have become very fond of you, Mr Gresham, and I should be sorry to think that I did not understand your feelings.’

This was almost worse and worse.  Young ladies like Miss Dunstable—­for she was still to be numbered in the category of young ladies—­do not usually tell young gentlemen that they are very fond of them.  To boys and girls they may make such a declaration.  Now Frank Gresham regarded himself as one who had already fought his battles, and fought them not without glory; he could not therefore endure to be thus openly told by Miss Dunstable that she was very fond of him.

‘Fond of me, Miss Dunstable!  I wish you were.’

‘So I am—­very.’

‘You little know how fond I am of you, Miss Dunstable,’ and he put out his hand to take hold of hers.  She then lifted up her own, and slapped him lightly on the knuckles.

’And what can you have say to Miss Dunstable that can make it necessary that you should pinch her hand?  I tell you fairly, Mr Gresham, if you make a fool of yourself, I shall come to a conclusion that you are all fools, and that it is hopeless to look out for any one worth caring for.’

Such advice as this, so kindly given, so wisely meant, so clearly intelligible he should have taken and understood, young as he was.  But even yet he did not do so.

’A fool of myself!  Yes; I suppose I must be a fool if I have so much regard for Miss Dunstable as to make it painful for me to know that I am to see her no more:  a fool:  yes, of course I am a fool—­a man is always a fool when he loves.’

Miss Dunstable could not pretend to doubt his meaning any longer; and was determined to stop him, let it cost what it would.  She now put out her hand, not over white, and, as Frank soon perceived, gifted with a very fair allowance of strength.

‘Now, Mr Gresham,’ said she, ’before you go any further you shall listen to me.  Will you listen to me for a moment without interrupting me?’

Frank was of course obliged to promise that he would do so.

’You are going—­or rather you were going, for I shall stop you—­to make a profession of love.’

‘A profession!’ said Frank making a slight unsuccessful effort to get his hand free.

’Yes; a profession—­a false profession, Mr Gresham,—­a false profession—­ a false profession.  Look into your heart—­into your heart of hearts.  I know you at any rate have a heart; look into it closely.  Mr Gresham, you know you do not love me; not as a man should love the woman he swears to love.’