November was nearly over and nothing had been fixed about the day.  Arabella never condescended to speak to her sister on the subject; but on more than one occasion made some inquiry of her mother.  And she came to perceive, or to think that she perceived, that her mother was still anxious on the subject.  ’I shouldn’t wonder if he wasn’t off some day now,’ she said at last to her mother.

‘Don’t say anything so dreadful, Bella.’

’It would serve Cammy quite right, and it’s just what he’s likely to do.’

‘It would kill me,’ said the mother.

‘I don’t know about killing,’ said Arabella; ’it’s nothing to what I’ve had to go through.  I shouldn’t pretend to be sorry if he were to go to Hong-Kong tomorrow.’

But Mr Gibson had no idea of going to Hong-Kong.  He was simply carrying out his little scheme for securing the advantages of a ‘long day’.  He was fully resolved to be married, and was contented to think that his engagement was the best thing for him.  To one or two male friends he spoke of Camilla as the perfection of female virtue, and entertained no smallest idea of ultimate escape.  But a ‘long day’ is often a convenience.  A bill at three months sits easier on a man than one at sixty days; and a bill at six months is almost as little of a burden as no bill at all.

But Camilla was resolved that some day should be fixed.  ‘Thomas,’ she said to her lover one morning, as they were walking home together after service at the cathedral, ’isn’t this rather a fool’s Paradise of ours?’

‘How a fool’s Paradise?’ asked the happy Thomas.

’What I mean is, dearest, that we ought to fix something.  Mamma is getting uneasy about her own plans.’

‘In what way, dearest?’

’About a thousand things.  She can’t arrange anything till our plans are made.  Of course there are little troubles about money when people ain’t rich.’  Then it occurred to her that this might seem to be a plea for postponing rather than for hurrying the marriage, and she mended her argument.  ’The truth is, Thomas, she wants to know when the day is to be fixed, and I’ve promised to ask.  She said she’d ask you herself, but I wouldn’t let her do that.’

‘We must think about it, of course,’ said Thomas.

’But, my dear, there has been plenty of time for thinking.  What do you say to January?’ This was on the last day of November.

‘January!’ exclaimed Thomas, in a tone that betrayed no triumph.  ’I couldn’t get my services arranged for in January.’

‘I thought a clergyman could always manage that for his marriage,’ said Camilla.

’Not in January.  Besides, I was thinking you would like to be away in warmer weather.’