“Properly urged—­very properly, indeed.  But you also told me, if you remember, when I first had the pleasure of seeing you, that your father, if he knew of this match, would stick at nothing to oppose it—­at nothing—­I recollect you said so.  Now, knowing this, my dear Sir—­though I have the most perfect confidence in your honour, and your resolution to fulfil your engagement—­I can’t have confidence in your being prepared beforehand to oppose all your father might do if he found us out; because you can’t tell yourself what he might be up to, or what influence he might set to work over you.  This sort of mess is not very probable, you will say; but if it’s at all possible—­and there’s a year for it to be possible in—­by George, Sir, I must guard against accidents, for my daughter’s sake—­I must indeed!”

“In Heaven’s name, Mr. Sherwin, pass over all these impossible difficulties of yours! and let me hear what you have finally to propose.”

“Gently, my dear Sir! gently, gently, gently!  I propose to begin with:  that you should marry my daughter—­privately marry her—­in a week’s time.  Now, pray compose yourself!” (I was looking at him in speechless astonishment.) “Take it easy; pray take it easy!  Supposing, then, you marry her in this way, I make one stipulation.  I require you to give me your word of honour to leave her at the church door; and for the space of one year never to attempt to see her, except in the presence of a third party.  At the end of that time, I will engage to give her to you, as your wife in fact, as well as in name.  There! what do you say to that—­eh?”

I was too astounded, too overwhelmed, to say anything at that moment; Mr. Sherwin went on: 

“This plan of mine, you see, reconciles everything.  If any accident does happen, and we are discovered, why your father can do nothing to stop the match, because the match will have been already made.  And, at the same time, I secure a year’s delay, for the formation of her constitution, and the finishing of her accomplishments, and so forth.  Besides, what an opportunity this gives of sailing as near the wind. as you choose, in breaking the thing, bit by bit, to your father, without fear of consequences, in case he should run rough after all.  Upon my honour, my dear Sir, I think I deserve some credit for hitting on this plan—­it makes everything so right and straight, and suits of course the wishes of all parties!  I need hardly say that you shall have every facility for seeing Margaret, under the restrictions—­under the restrictions, you understand.  People may talk about your visits; but having got the certificate, and knowing it’s all safe and settled, I shan’t care for that.  Well, what do you say? take time to think, if you wish it—­only remember that I have the most perfect confidence in your honour, and that I act from a fatherly feeling for the interests of my dear girl!” He stopped, out of breath from the extraordinary volubility of his long harangue.