en cases in the
village--and was shaken off with sufficient energy for his pains.

"Mother," exclaimed Master Rowland, haughtily, "I understand you; but I
had a plain answer to a plain question months ago, and I will have no
reversal to please you. Pity craved by an old woman's weakness! favours
granted in answer to tears drawn from dim eyes! I am not such a slave!"

The others were all clamouring round Granny, kissing her hand, kneeling
on her footstool, imploring her to tell them what she wanted, what she
would like best, what they could go and do for her; only the squire
spoke in indignant displeasure, and nobody attended to him but Mistress
Betty.

It did appear that the squire had been too fast in repelling advances
which did not follow his mother's appeal. Mistress Betty gave no
token--she stood pulling the strings of her cap, and growing first very
red, and then ominously white, like any girl.

Perhaps the squire suspected that he had been too hasty, that he had not
been grateful to his old mother, or generous to the woman who, however
fine, and courted, and caressed, was susceptible of a simple woman's
anguish at scorn or slight. Perhaps there flashed on his recollection a
certain paper in the 'Spectator,' wherein a young lady's secret
inclination towards a young gentleman is conclusively revealed, not by
her advances to save his pride, but by her silence, her blushes, her
disposition to swoon with distress when an opportunity is afforded her
of putting herself forward to attract his notice--nay, when she is even
urged to go so far as to solicit his regard.

Master Rowland's brow lightened as if a cloud lowering there had
suddenly cleared away--Master Rowland began to look as if it were a much
more agreeable experience to contemplate Mistress Betty nervous and
glum, than Lady Betty armed at a hundred points, and all but
invulnerable--Master Rowland walked as alertly to her side as if there
were no such things as sprains in this world. "Madam, forgive me if I
have attributed to you a weak complacency to which you would never
condescend. Madam, if you have changed your mind, and can now tolerate
my suit, and accord it the slightest return, I am at your feet."

Assuredly, the tall, vigorous, accomplished squire would have been
there, not figuratively but in his imposing person. Family explanations
were admissible a century and a half ago; public declarations were
sometimes a point of honour; bodily prostratio