t feel that I am
speaking to a sister."

"You may ask me what you please," said she.

"It is about your cousin Bernard."

"About Bernard!" said Bell.

It was now dusk; and as they were sitting without other light than
that of the fire, she knew that he could not discern the colour which
covered her face as her cousin's name was mentioned. But, had the
light of day pervaded the whole room, I doubt whether Crofts would
have seen that blush, for he kept his eyes firmly fixed upon the
fire.

"Yes, about Bernard. I don't know whether I ought to ask you."

"I'm sure I can't say," said Bell; speaking words of the nature of
which she was not conscious.

"There has been a rumour in Guestwick that he and you--"

"It is untrue," said Bell; "quite untrue. If you hear it repeated,
you should contradict it. I wonder why people should say such
things."

"It would have been an excellent marriage;--all your friends must
have approved it."

"What do you mean, Dr Crofts? How I do hate those words, 'an
excellent marriage'. In them is contained more of wicked worldliness
than any other words that one ever hears spoken. You want me to marry
my cousin simply because I should have a great house to live in, and
a coach. I know that you are my friend, but I hate such friendship as
that."

"I think you misunderstand me, Bell. I mean that it would have been
an excellent marriage, provided you had both loved each other."

"No, I don't misunderstand you. Of course it would be an excellent
marriage, if we loved each other. You might say the same if I loved
the butcher or the baker. What you mean is, that it makes a reason
for loving him."

"I don't think I did mean that."

"Then you mean nothing."

After that, there were again some minutes of silence during which
Dr Crofts got up to go away. "You have scolded me very dreadfully,"
he said, with a slight smile, "and I believe I have deserved it for
interfering."

"No; not at all for interfering."

"But at any rate you must forgive me before I go."

"I won't forgive you at all, unless you repent of your sins, and
alter altogether the wickedness of your mind. You will become very
soon as bad as Dr Gruffen."

"Shall I?"

"Oh, but I will forgive you; for after all, you are the most generous
man in the world."

"Oh, yes; of course I am. Well,--good-bye."

"But, Dr Crofts, you should not suppose others to be so much more
worldly than yourself. You do not care for money so ver