ght it over thoroughly, that
will do for all."

"I believe Mr Moffat is a man of no family."

"He'll mend in that point, no doubt, when he has got a wife."

"Uncle, you're a goose; and what is worse, a very provoking goose."

"Niece, you're a gander; and what is worse, a very silly gander. What
is Mr Moffat's family to you and me? Mr Moffat has that which ranks
above family honours. He is a very rich man."

"Yes," said Mary, "I know he is rich; and a rich man I suppose can
buy anything--except a woman that is worth having."

"A rich man can buy anything," said the doctor; "not that I meant to
say that Mr Moffat has bought Miss Gresham. I have no doubt that they
will suit each other very well," he added with an air of decisive
authority, as though he had finished the subject.

But his niece was determined not to let him pass so. "Now, uncle,"
said she, "you know you are pretending to a great deal of worldly
wisdom, which, after all, is not wisdom at all in your eyes."

"Am I?"

"You know you are: and as for the impropriety of discussing Miss
Gresham's marriage--"

"I did not say it was improper."

"Oh, yes, you did; of course such things must be discussed. How is
one to have an opinion if one does not get it by looking at the
things which happen around us?"

"Now I am going to be blown up," said Dr Thorne.

"Dear uncle, do be serious with me."

"Well, then, seriously, I hope Miss Gresham will be very happy as Mrs
Moffat."

"Of course you do: so do I. I hope it as much as I can hope what I
don't at all see ground for expecting."

"People constantly hope without any such ground."

"Well, then, I'll hope in this case. But, uncle--"

"Well, my dear?"

"I want your opinion, truly and really. If you were a girl--"

"I am perfectly unable to give any opinion founded on so strange an
hypothesis."

"Well; but if you were a marrying man."

"The hypothesis is quite as much out of my way."

"But, uncle, I am a girl, and perhaps I may marry;--or at any rate
think of marrying some day."

"The latter alternative is certainly possible enough."

"Therefore, in seeing a friend taking such a step, I cannot but
speculate on the matter as though I were myself in her place. If I
were Miss Gresham, should I be right?"

"But, Minnie, you are not Miss Gresham."

"No, I am Mary Thorne; it is a very different thing, I know. I
suppose _I_ might marry any one without degrading myself."

It was almost ill-natured