t say anything about John Grey; leave her to settle that matter
with herself. Believe me that she has quite courage enough to dispose
of John Grey, if she has courage enough to accept your offer."

"Kate, you women never understand each other. If I were to do that,
all her most powerful feelings would be arrayed in arms against me.
I must leave her to find out first that she wishes to be rid of her
engagement."

"She has found that out long ago. Do you think I don't know what she
wishes? But if you can't bring yourself to speak to her, she'll marry
him in spite of her wishes."

"Bring myself! I've never been very slow in bringing myself to speak
to any one when there was need. It isn't very pleasant sometimes, but
I do it, if I find occasion."

"But surely it must be pleasant with her. You must be glad to find
that she still loves you. You still love her, I suppose?"

"Upon my word I don't know."

"Don't provoke me, George. I'm moving heaven and earth to bring you
two together; but if I didn't think you loved her, I'd go to her at
once and bid her never see you again."

"Upon my word, Kate, I sometimes think it would be better if you'd
leave heaven and earth alone."

"Then I will. But of all human beings, surely you're the most
ungrateful."

"Why shouldn't she marry John Grey if she likes him?"

"But she doesn't like him. And I hate him. I hate the sound of his
voice, and the turn of his eye, and that slow, steady movement of
his,--as though he was always bethinking himself that he wouldn't
wear out his clothes."

"I don't see that your hating him ought to have anything to do with
it."

"If you're going to preach morals, I'll leave you. It's the darling
wish of my heart that she should be your wife. If you ever loved
anybody,--and I sometimes doubt whether you ever did,--but if you
did, you loved her."

"Did and do are different things."

"Very well, George; then I have done. It has been the same in every
twist and turn of my life. In everything that I have striven to do
for you, you have thrown yourself over, in order that I might be
thrown over too. But I believe you say this merely to vex me."

"Upon my word, Kate, I think you'd better go to bed."

"But not till I've told her everything. I won't leave her to be
deceived and ill-used again."

"Who is ill-using her now? Is it not the worst of ill-usage, trying
to separate her from that man?"

"No;--if I thought so, I would have no hand in doing