with doubtful, quivering voice.  And the ambages should take time.  He should approach the citadel to be taken with covered ways working his way slowly and painfully.  But this young man, before he had been in the house three days, said all that he had to say without the slightest quaver in his voice, and evidently expected to get an answer about the squire’s daughter as quickly as he had got it about the squire’s land.

‘You have surprised me very much,’ said the old man at last, drawing his breath.

’I’m quite in earnest about it.  Clara seems to me to be the very girl to make a good wife to such a one as I am.  She’s got everything that a woman ought to have By George, she has!’

‘She is a good girl, Mr Belton.’

‘She is as good as gold, every inch of her.’

‘But you have not known her very long, Mr Belton.’

’Quite long enough for my purposes.  You see I knew all about her beforehand who she is, and where she comes from.  There’s a great deal in that, you know.’

Mr Amedroz shuddered at the expressions used.  It was grievous to him to hear his daughter spoken of as one respecting whom some one knew who she was and whence she came.  Such knowledge respecting the daughter of such a family was, as a matter of course, common to all polite persons.  ‘Yes,’ said Mr Amedroz, stiffly:  ’you know as much as that about her, certainly.’

’And she knows as much about me.  Now the question is, whether you have any objection to make?’

’Really, Mr Belton, you have taken me so much by surprise that I do not feel myself competent to answer you at once.’

‘Shall we say in an hour’s time, sir?’ An hour’s time!  Mr Amedroz, if he could have been left to his own guidance, would have thought a month very little for such a work.

‘I suppose you would wish me to see Clara first,’ said Mr Amedroz.

’Oh dear, no.  I would much rather ask her myself if only I could get your consent to my doing so.’

‘And you have said nothing to her?’

‘Not a word.’

’I am glad of that.  You would have behaved badly, I think, had you done so while staying under my roof.’

’I thought it best, at any rate, to come to you first.  But as I must be back at Plaistow on this day week, I haven’t much time to lose.  So if you could think about it this afternoon, you know Mr Amedroz, much bewildered, promised that he would do his best, and eventually did bring himself to give an answer on the next morning.  ’I have been thinking about this all night,’ said Mr Amedroz.

‘I’m sure I’m very much obliged to you,’ said Belton, feeling rather ashamed of his own remissness as he remembered how soundly he had himself slept.

‘If you are quite sure of yourself’

‘Do you mean sure of loving her?  I am as sure of that as anything.’

‘But men are so apt to change their fancies.’

’I don’t know much about my fancies; but I don’t often change my purpose when I’m in earnest.  In such a matter as this I couldn’t change.  I’ll say as much as that for myself, though it may seem bold.’