not clear
as noon-day? He comes here to talk of love who had never seen you
before. Is it thus that men love?"

"But, Daniel, he did not talk so."

"I wonder that he was so crafty, believing him as I do to be a fool.
He talked of cousinship and brotherhood, and yet gave you to know
that he meant you to be his wife. Was it not so?"

"I think it was so, in very truth."

"Of course it was so. Do brothers marry their sisters? Were it not
for the money, which must be yours, and which he is kind enough to
surrender, would he come to you then with his brotherhood, and his
cousinship, and his mock love? Tell me that, my lady! Can it be real
love,--to which there has been no forerunning acquaintance?"

"I think not, indeed."

"And must it not be lust of wealth? That may come by hearsay well
enough. It is a love which requires no great foreknowledge to burn
with real strength. He is a gay looking lad, no doubt."

"I do not know as to gay, but he is beautiful."

"Like enough, my girl; with soft hands, and curled hair, and a sweet
smell, and a bright colour, and a false heart. I have never seen the
lad; but for the false heart I can answer."

"I do not think that he is false."

"Not false! and yet he comes to you asking you to be his wife,
just at that nick of time in which he finds that you,--the right
owner,--are to have the fortune of which he has vainly endeavoured to
defraud you! Is it not so?"

"He cannot be wrong to wish to keep up the glory of the family."

"The glory of the family;--yes, the fame of the late lord, who lived
as though he were a fiend let loose from hell to devastate mankind.
The glory of the family! And how will he maintain it? At racecourses,
in betting-clubs, among loose women, with luscious wines, never doing
one stroke of work for man or God, consuming and never producing,
either idle altogether or working the work of the devil. That will be
the glory of the family. Anna Lovel, you shall give him his choice."
Then he took her hand in his. "Ask him whether he will have that
empty, or take all the wealth of the Lovels. You have my leave."

"And if he took the empty hand what should I do?" she asked.

"My brave girl, no; though the chance be but one in a thousand
against me, I would not run the risk. But I am putting it to
yourself, to your reason, to judge of his motives. Can it be that
his mind in this matter is not sordid and dishonest? As to you, the
choice is open to you."

"No, Da