so glad, that Ethelberta
wished heartily, for his sake, there could be warm friendship between
herself and him, as well as all her lovers, without that insistent
courtship-and-marriage question, which sent them all scattering like
leaves in a pestilent blast, at enmity with one another. She was less
pleased when she found that Ladywell, after saying all there was to say
about his painting, gently signified that he had been misinformed, as he
believed, concerning her future intentions, which had led to his
absenting himself entirely from her; the remark being of course, a
natural product of her mother's injudicious message to him.

She cut him short with terse candour. 'Yes,' she said, 'a false report
is in circulation. I am not yet engaged to be married to any one, if
that is your meaning.'

Ladywell looked cheerful at this frank answer, and said tentatively, 'Am
I forgotten?'

'No; you are exactly as you always were in my mind.'

'Then I have been cruelly deceived. I was guided too much by
appearances, and they were very delusive. I am beyond measure glad I
came here to-day. I called at your house and learnt that you were here;
and as I was going out of town, in any indefinite direction, I settled
then to come this way. What a happy idea it was! To think of you
now--and I may be permitted to--'

'Assuredly you may not. How many times I have told you that!'

'But I do not wish for any formal engagement,' said Ladywell quickly,
fearing she might commit herself to some expression of positive denial,
which he could never surmount. 'I'll wait--I'll wait any length of time.
Remember, you have never absolutely forbidden my--friendship. Will you
delay your answer till some time hence, when you have thoroughly
considered; since I fear it may be a hasty one now?'

'Yes, indeed; it may be hasty.'

'You will delay it?'

'Yes.'

'When shall it be?'

'Say a month hence. I suggest that, because by that time you will have
found an answer in your own mind: strange things may happen before then.
"She shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and
she shall seek them, but shall not find them; then shall she say, I will
go and return to my first"--however, that's no matter.'

'What--did you--?' Ladywell began, altogether bewildered by this.

'It is a passage in Hosea which came to my mind, as possibly applicable
to myself some day,' she answered. 'It was mere impulse.'

'Ha-ha!--a jest--