GEORGE IS SEEN TO LAUGH

Ida and her father reached the vestibule to find Edward Cossey
standing with his face to the mantelpiece and nervously toying with
some curiosities upon it. He was, as usual, dressed with great care,
and his face, though white and worn from the effects of agitation of
mind, looked if anything handsomer than ever. As soon as he heard them
coming, which owing to his partial deafness he did not do till they
were quite close to him, he turned round with a start, and a sudden
flush of colour came upon his pale face.

The Squire shook hands with him in a solemn sort of way, as people do
when they meet at a funeral, but Ida barely touched his outstretched
fingers with her own.

A few random remarks followed about the weather, which really for once
in a way was equal to the conversational strain put upon it. At length
these died away and there came an awful pause. It was broken by the
Squire, who, standing with his back to the fire, his eyes fixed upon
the wall opposite, after much humming and hawing, delivered himself
thus:

"I understand, Mr. Cossey, that you have come to hear my daughter's
final decision on the matter of the proposal of marriage which you
have made and renewed to her. Now, of course, this is a very important
question, very important indeed, and it is one with which I cannot
presume even to seem to interfere. Therefore, I shall without comment
leave my daughter to speak for herself."

"One moment before she does so," Mr. Cossey interrupted, drawing
indeed but a poor augury of success from Ida's icy looks. "I have come
to renew my offer and to take my final answer, and I beg Miss de la
Molle to consider how deep and sincere must be that affection which
has endured through so many rebuffs. I know, or at least I fear, that
I do not occupy the place in her feelings that I should wish to, but I
look to time to change this; at any rate I am willing to take my
chance. As regards money, I repeat the offer which I have already
made."

"There, I should not say too much about that," broke in the Squire
impatiently.

"Oh, why not?" said Ida, in bitter sarcasm. "Mr. Cossey knows it is a
good argument. I presume, Mr. Cossey, that as a preliminary to the
renewal of our engagement, the persecution of my father which is being
carried on by your lawyers will cease?"

"Absolutely."

"And if the engagement is not renewed the money will of course be
called in?"

"My lawyers advise that