love; and
he had taken two glasses of cherry-brandy, hoping that they might
enable him to do so. He had put on a coat with brilliant buttons, and
new knickerbockers, in order that he might be master of the occasion.
He was resolved to call a spade a spade, and to speak boldly of his
passion; but how was he to begin? There was the difficulty. He was
now seated in a chair, and there he remained silent for a minute or
two, while she smoothed her eyebrows with her handkerchief after her
last slight ebullition of grief.

"Mrs Greenow," he exclaimed at last, jumping up before her; "dearest
Mrs Greenow; darling Mrs Greenow, will you be my wife? There! I have
said it at last, and I mean it. Everything that I've got shall be
yours. Of course I speak specially of my hand and heart. As for
love;--oh, Arabella, if you only knew me! I don't think there's a man
in Norfolk better able to love a woman than I am. Ever since I first
saw you at Yarmouth, I've been in love to that extent that I've not
known what I've been about. If you'll ask them at home, they'll
tell you that I've not been able to look after anything about the
place,--not as it should be done. I haven't really. I don't suppose
I've opened the wages book half a dozen times since last July."

"And has that been my fault, Mr Cheesacre?"

"Upon my word it has. I can't move about anywhere without thinking
about you. My mind's made up; I won't stay at Oileymead unless you
will come and be its mistress."

"Not stay at Oileymead?"

"No, indeed. I'll let the place, and go and travel somewheres. What's
the use of my hanging on there without the woman of my heart? I
couldn't do it, Mrs Greenow; I couldn't, indeed. Of course I've got
everything there that money can buy,--but it's all of no use to a man
that's in love. Do you know, I've come quite to despise money and
stock, and all that sort of thing. I haven't had my banker's book
home these last three months. Only think of that now."

"But how can I help you, Mr Cheesacre?"

"Just say one word, and the thing'll be done. Say you'll be my wife?
I'll be so good to you. I will, indeed. As for your fortune, I don't
care that for it! I'm not like somebody else; it's yourself I want.
You shall be my pet, and my poppet, and my dearest little duck all
the days of your life."

"No, Mr Cheesacre; it cannot be."

"And why not? Look here, Arabella!" At these words he rose from his
chair, and coming immediately before her, went dow