uptly, 'I am here to thank you most
gratefully for the countenance given to my poor suit, which, here and
now, at last and for ever, I forego. I shall leave for England so soon
as my business will allow; and as I made no secret of my suit, so I
shall make none of the reasons of my departure. I'm an outspoken man,
Madam; and as the world knew my hopes, I shall offer them no false
excuses for my departure; but lift my hat, and bow to fortune--a
defeated man.'

'_Avez-vous dine mon petit coquin?_' said the parrot.

'Well, Sir, I will not altogether deny you have reason for what you
design; and it may be, 'tis as well to bring the matter to a close,
though your resolution has taken me by surprise. She hath shown herself
so perverse in this respect, that I allow I see no present likelihood of
a change; and indeed I do not quite understand my niece; and, very like,
she does not comprehend herself.'

Mr. Dangerfield almost smiled one of his grim disconcerting smiles, and
a cynical light played over his face; and the black monkey behind him
grinned and hugged himself like his familiar. The disappointed gentleman
thought he understood Miss Gertrude pretty well.

'I thought,' said Aunt Becky; 'I suspected--did you--a certain young
gentleman in this neighbourhood--'

'As having found his way to the young lady's good graces?' asked
Dangerfield.

'Yes; and I conjecture you know whom I mean,' said Aunt Rebecca.

'Who--pray, Madam?' he demanded.

'Why, Lieutenant Puddock,' said Aunt Becky, again adjusting the china on
the chimneypiece.

'Eh?--truly?--that did not strike me,' replied Dangerfield.

He had a disconcerting way of saying the most ordinary things, and there
was a sort of latent meaning, like a half-heard echo, underrunning the
surface of his talk, which sometimes made people undefinably
uncomfortable; and Aunt Becky looked a little stately and flushed; but
in a minute more the conversation proceeded.

'I have many regrets, Miss Chattesworth, in leaving this place. The loss
of your society--don't mistake me, I never flatter--is a chief one. Some
of your views and plans interested me much. I shall see my Lord
Castlemallard sooner than I should had my wishes prospered; and I will
do all in my power to engage him to give the site for the building, and
stones from the quarry free; and I hope, though no longer a resident
here, you will permit me to contribute fifty pounds towards the
undertaking.'

'Sir, I wish th