‘A rich man can buy anything,’ said the doctor; ’not that I meant to say that Mr Moffat has bought Miss Gresham.  I have no doubt that they will suit each other very well,’ he added with an air of decisive authority, as though he had finished the subject.

But his niece was determined not to let him pass so.  ’Now, uncle,’said she, ’you know you are pretending to a great deal of worldly wisdom, which, after all, is not wisdom at all in your eyes.’

‘Am I?’

’You know you are:  and as for the impropriety of discussing Miss Gresham’s marriage—­’

‘I did not say it was improper.’

’Oh, yes, you did; of course such things must be discussed.  How is one to have an opinion if one does not get it by looking at the things that happen around us?’

‘Now I am going to be blown up,’ said Dr Thorne.

‘Dear uncle, do be serious with me.’

’Well, then, seriously, I hope Miss Gresham will be very happy as Mrs Moffat.’

’Of course you do:  so do I. I hope it as much as I can hope what I don’t at all see ground for expecting.’

‘People constantly hope without any such ground.’

‘Well, then, I’ll hope in this case.  But, uncle—­’

‘Well, my dear?’

‘I want your opinion, truly and really.  If you were a girl—­’

’I am perfectly unable to give any opinion founded on so strange an hypothesis.’

‘Well; but if you were a marrying man.’

‘The hypothesis is quite as much out of my way.’

’But, uncle, I am a girl, and perhaps I may marry;—­or at any rate think of marrying some day.’

‘The latter alternative is certainly possible enough.’

’Therefore, in seeing a friend taking such a step, I cannot but speculate on the matter as though I were myself in her place.  If I were Miss Gresham, should I be right?’

‘But, Minnie, you are not Miss Gresham.’

’No, I am Mary Thorne; it is a very different thing, I know.  I suppose I might marry any one without degrading myself.’

It was almost ill-natured of her to say this; but she had not meant to say it in the sense which the sounds seemed to bear.  She had failed in being able to bring her uncle to the point she wished by the road she had planned, and in seeking another road, she had abruptly fallen into unpleasant places.

‘I should be very sorry that my niece should think so,’ said he; ’and am sorry, too, that she should say so.  But, Mary, to tell the truth, I hardly know at what you are driving.  You are, I think, not so clear minded—­certainly, not so clear worded—­as is usual with you.’

‘I will tell you, uncle;’ and, instead of looking up into his face, she turned her eyes down on to the green lawn beneath her feet.

‘Well, Minnie, what is it?’ and he took both her hands in his.

’I think that Miss Gresham should not marry Mr Moffat.  I think so because her family is high and noble, and because he is low and ignoble.  When one has an opinion on such matters, one cannot but apply it to things and people around one; and having applied my opinion to her, the next step naturally is to apply it to myself.  Were I Miss Gresham, I would not marry Mr Moffat though he rolled in gold.  I know where to rank Miss Gresham.  What I want to know is, where I ought to rank myself?’