Thedoctor’sadviceremainedcounterpoised，inMillborne’smind，bytheaforesaidmoodofseriousnessandsenseofprinciple，approximatingoftentoreligioussentiment，whichhadbeenevolvingitselfinhisbreastformonths，andevenyears。
Thefeeling，however，hadnoimmediateeffectuponMr。Millborne’sactions。Hesoongotoverhistriflingillness，andwasvexedwithhimselfforhaving，inamomentofimpulse，confidedsuchacaseofconsciencetoanybody。
Buttheforcewhichhadpromptedit，thoughlatent，remainedwithhimandultimatelygrewstronger。Theupshotwasthataboutfourmonthsafterthedateofhisillnessanddisclosure，MillbornefoundhimselfonamildspringmorningatPaddingtonStation，inatrainthatwasstartingforthewest。Hismanyintermittentthoughtsonhisbrokenpromisefromtimetotime，inthosehourswhenlonelinessbroughthimfacetofacewithhisownpersonality，hadatlastresultedinthiscourse。
Thedecisivestimulushadbeengivenwhen，adayortwoearlier，onlookingintoaPost-OfficeDirectory，helearntthatthewomanhehadnotmetfortwentyyearswasstilllivingonatExonburyunderthenameshehadassumedwhen，ayearortwoafterherdisappearancefromhernativetownandhis，shehadreturnedfromabroadasayoungwidowwithachild，andtakenupherresidenceattheformercity。
Herconditionwasapparentlybutlittlechanged，andherdaughterseemedtobewithher，theirnamesstandingintheDirectoryas’Mrs。
LeonoraFranklandandMissFrankland，TeachersofMusicandDancing。’
Mr。MillbornereachedExonburyintheafternoon，andhisfirstbusiness，beforeeventakinghisluggageintothetown，wastofindthehouseoccupiedbytheteachers。Standinginacentralandopenplaceitwasnotdifficulttodiscover，awell-burnishedbrassdoorplatebearingtheirnamesprominently。Hehesitatedtoenterwithoutfurtherknowledge，andultimatelytooklodgingsoveratoyshopopposite，securingasitting-roomwhichfacedasimilardrawingorsitting-roomattheFranklands’，wherethedancinglessonsweregiven。Installedherehewasenabledtomakeindirectly，andwithoutsuspicion，inquiriesandobservationsonthecharacteroftheladiesovertheway，whichhedidwithmuchdeliberateness。
Helearntthatthewidow，Mrs。Frankland，withheronedaughter，Frances，wasofcheerfulandexcellentrepute，energeticandpainstakingwithherpupils，ofwhomshehadagoodmany，andinwhosetuitionherdaughterassistedher。Shewasquitearecognizedtownswoman，andthoughthedancingbranchofherprofessionwasperhapsatrifleworldly，shewasreallyaserious-mindedladywho，beingobligedtolivebywhatsheknewhowtoteach，balancedmattersbylendingahandatcharitablebazaars，assistingatsacredconcerts，andgivingmusicalrecitationsinaidoffundsforbewilderinghappysavages，andothersuchenthusiasmsofthisenlightenedcountry。HerdaughterwasoneoftheforemostofthebevyofyoungwomenwhodecoratedthechurchesatEasterandChristmas，wasorganistinoneofthoseedifices，andhadsubscribedtothetestimonialofasilverbroth-basinthatwaspresentedtotheReverendMr。Walkerasatokenofgratitudeforhisfaithfulandarduousintonationsofsixmonthsassub-precentorintheCathedral。
AltogethermotheranddaughterappearedtobeatypicalandinnocentpairamongthegenteelcitizensofExonbury。
Asanaturalandsimplewayofadvertisingtheirprofessiontheyallowedthewindowsofthemusic-roomtobealittleopen，sothatyouhadthepleasureofhearingallalongthestreetatanyhourbetweensunriseandsunsetfragmentarygemsofclassicalmusicasinterpretedbytheyoungpeopleoftwelveorfourteenwhotooklessonsthere。ButitwassaidthatMrs。Franklandmademostofherincomebylettingoutpianosonhire，andbysellingthemasagentforthemakers。
ThereportpleasedMillborne；itwashighlycreditable，andfarbetterthanhehadhoped。Hewascurioustogetaviewofthetwowomenwholedsuchblamelesslives。
HehadnotlongtowaittogainaglimpseofLeonora。Itwaswhenshewasstandingonherowndoorstep，openingherparasol，onthemorningafterhisarrival。Shewasthin，thoughnotgaunt；andagood，well-wearing，thoughtfulfacehadtakentheplaceoftheonewhichhadtemporarilyattractedhiminthedaysofhisnonage。Sheworeblack，anditbecameherinhercharacterofwidow。Thedaughternextappeared；shewasasmoothedandroundedcopyofhermother，withthesamedecisioninhermienthatLeonorahad，andaboundinggaitinwhichhetracedafaintresemblancetohisownatherage。
Forthefirsttimeheabsolutelymadeuphismindtocallonthem。
ButhisantecedentstepwastosendLeonoraanotethenextmorning，statinghisproposaltovisither，andsuggestingtheeveningasthetime，becausesheseemedtobesogreatlyoccupiedinherprofessionalcapacityduringtheday。Hepurposelywordedhisnoteinsuchaformasnottorequireananswerfromherwhichwouldbepossiblyawkwardtowrite。
Noanswercame。Naturallyheshouldnothavebeensurprisedatthis；
andyethefeltalittlechecked，eventhoughshehadonlyrefrainedfromvolunteeringareplythatwasnotdemanded。
Ateight，thehourfixedbyhimself，hecrossedoverandwaspassivelyadmittedbytheservant。Mrs。Frankland，asshecalledherself，receivedhiminthelargemusic-and-dancingroomonthefirst-floorfront，andnotinanyprivatelittleparlourashehadexpected。Thiscastadistressinglybusiness-likecolourovertheirfirstmeetingaftersomanyyearsofseverance。Thewomanhehadwrongedstoodbeforehim，well-dressed，eventohismetropolitaneyes，andhermannerasshecameuptohimwasdignifiedeventohardness。Shecertainlywasnotgladtoseehim。Butwhatcouldheexpectafteraneglectoftwentyyears!
’Howdoyoudo，Mr。Millborne？’shesaidcheerfully，astoanychancecaller。’Iamobligedtoreceiveyouherebecausemydaughterhasafrienddownstairs。’
’Yourdaughter——andmine。’
’Ah——yes，yes，’sherepliedhastily，asiftheadditionhadescapedhermemory。’Butperhapsthelesssaidaboutthatthebetter，infairnesstome。Youwillconsidermeawidow，please。’
’Certainly，Leonora……’Hecouldnotgeton，hermannerwassocoldandindifferent。Theexpectedsceneofsadreproach，subduedtodelicacybytherunofyears，wasabsentaltogether。Hewasobligedtocometothepointwithoutpreamble。
’Youarequitefree，Leonora——Imeanastomarriage？Thereisnobodywhohasyourpromise，or——’
’Oyes；quitefree，Mr。Millborne，’shesaid，somewhatsurprised。
’ThenIwilltellyouwhyIhavecome。TwentyyearsagoIpromisedtomakeyoumywife；andIamheretofulfilthatpromise。Heavenforgivemytardiness!’
Hersurprisewasincreased，butshewasnotagitated。Sheseemedtobecomegloomy，disapproving。’Icouldnotentertainsuchanideaatthistimeoflife，’shesaidafteramomentortwo。’Itwouldcomplicatematterstoogreatly。Ihaveaveryfairincome，andrequirenohelpofanysort。Ihavenowishtomarry……Whatcouldhaveinducedyoutocomeonsuchanerrandnow？Itseemsquiteextraordinary，ifImaysayso!’
’Itmust——Idaresayitdoes，’Millbornerepliedvaguely；’andImusttellyouthatimpulse——Imeaninthesenseofpassion——haslittletodowithit。Iwishtomarryyou，Leonora；Imuchdesiretomarryyou。Butitisanaffairofconscience，acaseoffulfilment。I
promisedyou，anditwasdishonourableofmetogoaway。IwanttoremovethatsenseofdishonourbeforeIdie。Nodoubtwemightgettoloveeachotheraswarmlyaswedidinoldtimes？’
Shedubiouslyshookherhead。’Iappreciateyourmotives，Mr。
Millborne；butyoumustconsidermyposition；andyouwillseethat，shortofthepersonalwishtomarry，whichIdon’tfeel，thereisnoreasonwhyIshouldchangemystate，eventhoughbysodoingIshouldeaseyourconscience。Mypositioninthistownisarespectedone；I
havebuiltitupbymyownhardlabours，and，inshort，Idon’twishtoalterit。Mydaughter，too，isjustonthevergeofanengagementtobemarried，toayoungmanwhowillmakeheranexcellenthusband。
Itwillbeineverywayadesirablematchforher。Heisdownstairsnow。’
’Doessheknow——anythingaboutme？’
’Ono，no；Godforbid!Herfatherisdeadandburiedtoher。Sothat，yousee，thingsaregoingonsmoothly，andIdon’twanttodisturbtheirprogress。’
Henodded。’Verywell，’hesaid，androsetogo。Atthedoor，however，hecamebackagain。
’Still，Leonora，’heurged，’Ihavecomeonpurpose；andIdon’tseewhatdisturbancewouldbecaused。Youwouldsimplymarryanoldfriend。Won’tyoureconsider？Itisnomorethanrightthatweshouldbeunited，rememberingthegirl。’
Sheshookherhead，andpattedwithherfootnervously。
’Well，Iwon’tdetainyou，’headded。’IshallnotbeleavingExonburyyet。Youwillallowmetoseeyouagain？’
’Yes；Idon’tmind，’shesaidreluctantly。
Theobstacleshehadencountered，thoughtheydidnotreanimatehisdeadpassionforLeonora，didcertainlymakeitappearindispensabletohispeaceofmindtoovercomehercoldness。Hecalledfrequently。
Thefirstmeetingwiththedaughterwasatryingordeal，thoughhedidnotfeeldrawntowardsherashehadexpectedtobe；shedidnotexcitehissympathies。HermotherconfidedtoFrancestheerrandof’heroldfriend，’whichwasviewedbythedaughterwithstrongdisfavour。Hisdesirebeingthusuncongenialtoboth，foralongtimeMillbornemadenottheleastimpressionuponMrs。Frankland。
Hisattentionspesteredherratherthanpleasedher。Hewassurprisedatherfirmness，anditwasonlywhenhehintedatmoralreasonsfortheirunionthatshewasevershaken。’Strictlyspeaking，’hewouldsay，’weought，ashonestpersons，tomarry；andthat’sthetruthofit，Leonora。’
’Ihavelookedatitinthatlight，’shesaidquickly。’Itstruckmeattheveryfirst。ButIdon’tseetheforceoftheargument。I
totallydenythatafterthisintervaloftimeIamboundtomarryyouforhonour’ssake。Iwouldhavemarriedyou，asyouknowwellenough，atthepropertime。Butwhatistheuseofremediesnow？’
Theywerestandingatthewindow。Ascantly-whiskeredyoungman，inclericalattire，calledatthedoorbelow。Leonoraflushedwithinterest。
’Whoishe？’saidMr。Millborne。
’MyFrances’slover。Iamsosorry——sheisnotathome!Ah!theyhavetoldhimwheresheis，andhehasgonetofindher……Ihopethatsuitwillprosper，atanyrate!’
’Whyshouldn’tit？’
’Well，hecannotmarryyet；andFrancesseesbutlittleofhimnowhehasleftExonbury。Hewasformerlydoingdutyhere，butnowheiscurateofSt。John’s，Ivell，fiftymilesuptheline。Thereisatacitagreementbetweenthem，but——therehavebeenfriendsofhiswhoobject，becauseofourvocation。However，heseestheabsurdityofsuchanobjectionasthat，andisnotinfluencedbyit。’