Ilikedtofeelherheartyindignationflashoutonmeinthatway。
Weseesomuchmaliceandsolittleindignationinmyprofession。
`Inthatcase，’Isaid，`excusemeifItellyou，inourlegalphrase，thatyouaretravellingoutoftherecord。Whatevertheconsequencesmaybe，SirPercivalhasarighttoexpectthatyoursistershouldcarefullyconsiderherengagementfromeveryreasonablepointofviewbeforesheclaimsherreleasefromit。Ifthatunluckyletterhasprejudicedheragainsthim，goatonce，andtellherthathehasclearedhimselfinyoureyesandinmine。Whatobjectioncansheurgeagainsthimafterthat？Whatexcusecanshepossiblyhaveforchanginghermindaboutamanwhomshehadvirtuallyacceptedforherhusbandmorethantwoyearsago？’
`Intheeyesoflawandreason，MrGilmore，noexcuse，Idaresay。Ifshestillhesitates，andifIstillhesitate，youmustattributeourstrangeconduct，ifyoulike，tocapriceinbothcases，andwemustbeartheimputationaswellaswecan。’
Withthosewordsshesuddenlyroseandleftme。Whenasensiblewomanhasaseriousquestionputtoher，andevadesitbyaflippantanswer，itisasuresign，inninety-ninecasesoutofahundred，thatshehassomethingtoconceal。Ireturnedtotheperusalofthenewspaper，stronglysuspectingthatMissHalcombeandMissFairliehadasecretbetweenthemwhichtheywerekeepingfromSirPercival，andkeepingfromme。Ithoughtthishardonbothofus，especiallyonSirPercival。
Mydoubts——ortospeakmorecorrectly，myconvictions——wereconfirmedbyMissHalcombe’slanguageandmannerwhenIsawheragainlaterintheday。Shewassuspiciouslybriefandreservedintellingmetheresultofherinterviewwithhersister。MissFairlie，itappeared，hadlistenedquietlywhiletheaffairoftheletterwasplacedbeforeherintherightpointofview，butwhenMissHalcombenextproceededtosaythattheobjectofSirPercival’svisitatLimmeridgewastoprevailonhertoletadaybefixedforthemarriage，shecheckedallfurtherreferencetothesubjectbybeggingfortime。IfSirPercivalwouldconsenttospareherforthepresent，shewouldundertaketogivehimhisfinalanswerbeforetheendoftheyear。Shepleadedforthisdelaywithsuchanxietyandagitation，thatMissHalcombehadpromisedtouseherinfluence，ifnecessary，toobtainit，andthere，atMissFairlie’searnestentreaty，allfurtherdiscussionofthemarriagequestionhadended。
Thepurelytemporaryarrangementthusproposedmighthavebeenconvenientenoughtotheyounglady，butitprovedsomewhatembarrassingtothewriteroftheselines。Thatmorning’sposthadbroughtaletterfrommypartner，whichobligedmetoreturntotownthenextdaybytheafternoontrain。
ItwasextremelyprobablethatIshouldfindnosecondopportunityofpresentingmyselfatLimmeridgeHouseduringtheremainderoftheyear。Inthatcase，supposingMissFairlieultimatelydecidedonholdingtoherengagement，mynecessarypersonalcommunicationwithher，beforeIdrewhersettlement，wouldbecomesomethinglikeadownrightimpossibility，andweshouldbeobligedtocommittowritingquestionswhichoughtalwaystobediscussedonbothsidesbywordofmouth。IsaidnothingaboutthisdifficultyuntilSirPercivalhadbeenconsultedonthesubjectofthedesireddelay。Hewastoogallantagentlemannottogranttherequestimmediately。WhenMissHalcombeinformedmeofthisItoldherthatImustabsolutelyspeaktohersisterbeforeIleftLimmeridge，anditwas，therefore，arrangedthatIshouldseeMissFairlieinherownsitting-roomthenextmorning。
Shedidnotcomedowntodinner，orjoinusintheevening。Indispositionwastheexcuse，andIthoughtSirPercivallooked，aswellhemight，alittleannoyedwhenheheardofit。
Thenextmorning，assoonasbreakfastwasover，IwentuptoMissFairlie’ssitting-room。Thepoorgirllookedsopaleandsad，andcameforwardtowelcomemesoreadilyandprettily，thattheresolutiontolectureheronhercapriceandindecision，whichIhadbeenformingallthewayupstairs，failedmeonthespot。Iledherbacktothechairfromwhichshehadrisen，andplacedmyselfoppositetoher。Hercross-grainedpetgreyhoundwasintheroom，andIfullyexpectedabarkingandsnappingreception。Strangetosay，thewhimsicallittlebrutefalsifiedmyexpectationsbyjumpingintomylapandpokingitssharpmuzzlefamiliarlyintomyhandthemomentIsatdown。
`Youusedoftentositonmykneewhenyouwereachild，mydear，’I
said，`andnowyourlittledogseemsdeterminedtosucceedyouinthevacantthrone。Isthatprettydrawingyourdoing？’
Ipointedtoalittlealbumwhichlayonthetablebyherside，andwhichshehadevidentlybeenlookingoverwhenIcamein。Thepagethatlayopenhadasmallwater-colourlandscapeveryneatlymountedonit。
Thiswasthedrawingwhichhadsuggestedmyquestion——anidlequestionenough——buthowcouldIbegintotalkofbusinesstoherthemomentI
openedmylips？
`No，’shesaid，lookingawayfromthedrawingratherconfusedly，`itisnotmydoing。’
Herfingershadarestlesshabit，whichIrememberedinherasachild，ofalwaysplayingwiththefirstthingthatcametohandwheneveranyonewastalkingtoher-Onthisoccasiontheywanderedtothealbum，andtoyedabsentlyaboutthemarginofthelittlewater-colourdrawing。Theexpressionofmelancholydeepenedonherface。Shedidnotlookatthedrawing，orlookatme。Hereyesmoveduneasilyfromobjecttoobjectintheroom，betrayingplainlythatshesuspectedwhatmypurposewasincomingtospeaktoher。Seeingthat，Ithoughtitbesttogettothepurposewithaslittledelayaspossible。
`Oneoftheerrands，mydear，whichbringsmehereistobidyougood-bye，’
Ibegan。`ImustgetbacktoLondontoday：and，beforeIleave，Iwanttohaveawordwithyouonthesubjectofyourownaffairs。’
`Iamverysorryyouaregoing，MrGilmore，’shesaid，lookingatmekindly。`Itislikethehappyoldtimestohaveyouhere。’
`IhopeImaybeabletocomebackandrecallthosepleasantmemoriesoncemore，’Icontinued；`butasthereissomeuncertaintyaboutthefuture，ImusttakemyopportunitywhenIcangetit，andspeaktoyounow。Iamyouroldlawyerandyouroldfriend，andImayremindyou，Iamsure，withoutoffence，ofthepossibilityofyourmarryingSirPercivalGlyde。’
Shetookherhandoffthelittlealbumassuddenlyasifithadturnedhotandburnther。Herfingerstwinedtogethernervouslyinherlap，hereyeslookeddownagainatthefloor，andanexpressionofconstraintsettledonherfacewhichlookedalmostlikeanexpressionofpain。
`Isitabsolutelynecessarytospeakofmymarriageengagement？’sheaskedinlowtones。
`Itisnecessarytorefertoit，’Ianswered，`butnottodwellonit。
Letusmerelysaythatyoumaymarry，orthatyoumaynotmarry。Inthefirstcase，Imustbeprepared，beforehand，todrawyoursettlement，andIoughtnottodothatwithout，asamatterofpoliteness，firstconsultingyou。Thismaybemyonlychanceofhearingwhatyourwishesare。Letus，therefore，supposethecaseofyourmarrying，andletmeinformyou，inasfewwordsaspossible，whatyourpositionisnow，andwhatyoumaymakeit，ifyouplease，inthefuture。’
Iexplainedtohertheobjectofamarriage-settlement，andthentoldherexactlywhatherprospectswere——inthefirstplace，onhercomingofage，andinthesecondplace，onthedeceaseofheruncle——markingthedistinctionbetweenthepropertyinwhichshehadalife-interestonly，andthepropertywhichwasleftatherowncontrol。Shelistenedattentively，withtheconstrainedexpressionstillonherface，andherhandsstillnervouslyclaspedtogetherinherlap。
`Andnow，’Isaidinconclusion，`tellmeifyoucanthinkofanyconditionwhich，inthecasewehavesupposed，youwouldwishmetomakeforyou——subject，ofcourse，toyourguardian’sapproval，asyouarenotyetofage。’
Shemoveduneasilyinherchair，thenlookedinmyfaceonasuddenveryearnestly。
`Ifitdoeshappen，’shebeganfaintly，`ifIam——’
`Ifyouaremarried，’Iadded，helpingherout。
`Don’tlethimpartmefromMarian，’shecried，withasuddenoutbreakofenergy。`Oh，MrGilmore，praymakeitlawthatMarianistolivewithme！’
UnderothercircumstancesImight，perhaps，havebeenamusedatthisessentiallyfeminineinterpretationofmyquestion，andofthelongexplanationwhichhadprecededit。Butherlooksandtones，whenshespoke，wereofakindtomakememorethanserious——theydistressedme。Herwords，fewastheywere，betrayedadesperateclingingtothepastwhichbodedillforthefuture。
`YourhavingMarianHalcombetolivewithyoucaneasilybesettledbyprivatearrangement，’Isaid。`Youhardlyunderstoodmyquestion，I
think。Itreferredtoyourownproperty——tothedisposalofyourmoney。
Supposingyouweretomakeawillwhenyoucomeofage，whowouldyoulikethemoneytogoto？’
`Marianhasbeenmotherandsisterbothtome，’saidthegood，affectionategirl，herprettyblueeyesglisteningwhileshespoke。`MayIleaveittoMarian，MrGilmore？’
`Certainly，mylove，’Ianswered。`Butrememberwhatalargesumitis-WouldyoulikeitalltogotoMissHalcombe？’
Shehesitated；hercolourcameandwent，andherhandstolebackagaintothelittlealbum。
`Notallofit，’shesaid。`ThereissomeoneelsebesidesMarian——’
Shestopped；hercolourheightened，andthefingersofthehandthatresteduponthealbumbeatgentlyonthemarginofthedrawing，asifhermemoryhadsetthemgoingmechanicallywiththeremembranceofafavouritetune。
`YoumeansomeothermemberofthefamilybesidesMissHalcombe？’I
suggested，seeingheratalosstoproceed，Theheighteningcolourspreadtoherforeheadandherneck，andthenervousfingerssuddenlyclaspedthemselvesfastroundtheedgeofthebook。
`Thereissomeoneelse，’shesaid，notnoticingmylastwords，thoughshehadevidentlyheardthem；`thereissomeoneelsewhomightlikealittlekeepsakeif——ifImightleaveit。TherewouldbenoharmifI