Then he attempted to get hold of
her hand, but she put them behind her back and shook her head.
"Arabella," he said, "will you not speak a word to me?"

"Not a word, Captain Bellfield, till you get up; and I won't have you
call me Arabella. I am the widow of Samuel Greenow, than whom no man
was more respected where he was known, and it is not fitting that I
should be addressed in that way."

"But I want you to become my wife,--and then--"

"Ah, then indeed! But that then isn't likely to come. Get up, Captain
Bellfield, or I'll push you over and then ring the bell. A man never
looks so much like a fool as when he's kneeling down,--unless he's
saying his prayers, as you ought to be doing now. Get up, I tell you.
It's just half past seven, and I told Jeannette to come to me then."

There was that in the widow's voice which made him get up, and he
rose slowly to his feet. "You've pushed all the chairs about, you
stupid man," she said. Then in one minute she had restored the
scattered furniture to their proper places, and had rung the bell.
When Jeannette came she desired that tea might be ready by the time
that the young ladies returned, and asked Captain Bellfield if a cup
should be set for him. This he declined, and bade her farewell while
Jeannette was still in the room. She shook hands with him without
any sign of anger, and even expressed a hope that they might see him
again before long.

"He's a very handsome man, is the Captain," said Jeannette, as the
hero of the Kitchyhomy River descended the stairs.

"You shouldn't think about handsome men, child," said Mrs Greenow.

"And I'm sure I don't," said Jeannette. "Not no more than anybody
else; but if a man is handsome, ma'am, why it stands to reason that
he is handsome."

"I suppose Captain Bellfield has given you a kiss and a pair of
gloves."

"As for gloves and such like, Mr Cheesacre is much better for giving
than the Captain; as we all know; don't we, ma'am? But in regard to
kisses, they're presents as I never takes from anybody. Let everybody
pay his debts. If the Captain ever gets a wife, let him kiss her."

On the following Tuesday morning Mr Cheesacre as usual called in the
Close, but he brought with him no basket. He merely left a winter
nosegay made of green leaves and laurestinus flowers, and sent up a
message to say that he should call at half past three, and hoped that
he might then be able to see Mrs Greenow--on particular business.

"That m