’But you do not disapprove?—­I see you guess why.  Oh!  Mr. Gibson, just speak to me one word of what must be in your heart, though you are pretending not to understand why I would give worlds to see Molly again before I go.’

‘My dear boy!’ said Mr. Gibson, more affected than he liked to show, and laying his hand on Roger’s shoulder.  Then he pulled himself up, and said gravely enough,—­

’Mind, Molly is not Cynthia.  If she were to care for you, she is not one who could transfer her love to the next comer.’

‘You mean not as readily as I have done,’ replied Roger.  ’I only wish you could know what a different feeling this is to my boyish love for Cynthia.’

’I wasn’t thinking of you when I spoke; but, however, as I might have remembered afterwards that you were not a model of constancy, let us hear what you have to say for yourself.’

’Not much.  I did love Cynthia very much.  Her manners and her beauty bewitched me; but her letters,—­short, hurried letters,—­sometimes showing that she really hadn’t taken the trouble to read mine through,—­ I cannot tell you the pain they gave me!  Twelve months’ solitude, in frequent danger of one’s life—­face to face with death—­sometimes ages a man like many years’ experience.  Still I longed for the time when I should see her sweet face again, and hear her speak.  Then the letter at the Cape!—­and still I hoped.  But you know how I found her, when I went to have the interview which I trusted might end in the renewal of our relations,—­engaged to Mr Henderson.  I saw her walking with him in your garden, coquetting with him about a flower, just as she used to do with me.  I can see the pitying look in Molly’s eyes as she watched me; I can see it now.  And I could beat myself for being such a blind fool as to—­ What must she think of me? how she must despise me, choosing the false Duessa.’

’Come, come!  Cynthia isn’t so bad as that.  She’s a very fascinating, faulty creature.’

’I know!  I know!  I will never allow any one to say a word against her.  If I called her the false Duessa it was because I wanted to express my sense of the difference between her and Molly as strongly as I could.  You must allow for a lover’s exaggeration.  Besides, all I wanted to say was,—­Do you think that Molly, after seeing and knowing that I had loved a person so inferior to herself, could ever be brought to listen to me?’

’I don’t know.  I can’t tell.  And even if I could, I would not.  Only if it’s any comfort to you, I may say what my experience has taught me.  Women are queer, unreasoning creatures, and are just as likely as not to love a man who has been throwing away his affection.’

‘Thank you, sir!’ said Roger, interrupting him.  ’I see you mean to give me encouragement.  And I had resolved never to give Molly a hint of what I felt till I returned,—­and then to try and win her by every means in my power.  I determined not to repeat the former scene in the former place,—­in your drawing-room,—­however I might be tempted.  And perhaps, after all, she avoided me when she was here last.’