lph, "in which a man should never
despair as long as there is a possibility."

"Ah, yes; people say so. I don't believe in that kind of perseverance
myself;--at any rate not with her. She knows her own mind,--as well
as I know mine. I think I promised her that I would trouble her no
more."

"Promises like that are mere pie-crusts," said Ralph.

"Give her my love;--that's all. And don't do that unless you're alone
with her. I shall live it down some day, no doubt, but to tell the
truth I have made up my mind not to marry. I'm half inclined to think
that a clergyman shouldn't marry. There are some things which our
ancestors understood pretty well, although we think they were such
fools. I should like to see the new cousin, certainly."

Ralph said nothing more about the new cousin; and was perhaps hardly
aware how greatly the idea of again seeing the new cousin had
enhanced the pleasure of his journey to London. About a week after
this he started, having devoted nearly all the afternoon before
he went to the packing of a large basket of ferns,--to each root
or small bundle of which was appended a long name in Latin,--as an
offering to Patience Underwood. And yet he did not care very much for
Patience Underwood.

It was just the end of September,--the last day of September, when
he reached London. Ralph the heir was out of town, and the servant
at his lodging professed she did not know where he was. She thought
it probable that he was "at Mr. 'Orsball's,--Mr. 'Orsball of the
Moonbeam, Barnfield,--a-looking after his 'orses." She suggested
this, not from any knowledge in her possession, but because Ralph was
always believed to go to the Moonbeam when he left town. He would,
however, be back next week. His namesake, therefore, did not consider
that it would be expedient for him to follow the heir down to the
Moonbeam.

But the Underwood girls would certainly be at Fulham, and he started
at once with his ferns for Popham Villa. He found them at home, and,
singular to say, he found Sir Thomas there also. On the very next
morning Sir Thomas was to start for Percycross, to commence the
actual work of his canvass. The canvass was to occupy a fortnight,
and on Monday the sixteenth the candidates were to be nominated.
Tuesday the seventeenth was the day of the election. The whole
household was so full of the subject that at first there was hardly
room for the ferns. "Oh, Mr. Newton, we are so much obliged to you.
Papa is go