’But why her?  Come, Lord Silverbridge.  You are straightforward with me, and I will be the same with you.  You have told Lady Mabel.  I have told Lady Mary.’

‘My sister!’

’Yes;—­your sister.  And I am sure she disapproves it.  She did not say so; but I am sure it is so. and then she told me something.’

‘What did she tell you?’

’Has there ever been reason to think that you intended to offer your hand to Lady Mabel Grex?’

‘Did she tell you so?’

’You should answer my question, Lord Silverbridge.  It is surely one which I have a right to ask.’  Then she stood waiting for his reply, keeping herself at some little distance from him as though she were afraid that he would fly upon her.  And indeed there seemed to be cause for such fear from frequent gestures of his hands.  ’Why do you not answer me?  Has there been some reason for such expectations?’

‘Yes;—­there has.’

‘There has!’

’I thought of it,—­not knowing myself before I had seen you.  You shall know it all if you will only say that you love me.’

‘I should like to know it first.’

’You do know it all;—­almost.  I have told you that she knows what I said to you at Killancodlem.  Is not that enough?’

‘And she approves!’

’What has it to do with her?  Lady Mabel is my friend, but not my guardian.’

‘Has she a right to expect that she should be your wife?’

’No;—­certainly not.  Why should you ask all this?  Do you love me?  Come, Isabel; say that you love me.  Will you call me vain if I say that I almost think you do.  You cannot doubt my love;—­not now.’

‘No;—­not now.’

’You needn’t.  Why won’t you be as honest to me?  If you hate me, say so;—­but if you love me-!’

‘I do not hate you, Lord Silverbridge.’

‘And is that all?’

‘You asked me the question.’

’But you do love me?  By George, I thought you would be more honest and straightforward.’

Then she dropped her badinage and answered him seriously.  ’I thought I had been more honest and straightforward.  When I found that you were in earnest at Killancodlem—­’

‘Why did you ever doubt me?’

’When I felt that you were in earnest, then I had to be in earnest too.  And I thought so much about it that I lay awake nearly all that night.  Shall I tell you what I thought?’

‘Tell me something I would like to hear.’

’I will tell you the truth.  “Is it possible,” I said to myself, “that such a man as that can want me to be his wife; he an Englishman, of the highest rank and the greatest wealth, and one that any girl in the world would love?"’

‘Psha!’ he exclaimed.

‘That is what I said to myself.’  Then she paused, and looking into his face he saw that there was a glimmer of a tear in each eye.  ’One that any girl must love when asked for her love;—­because he is so sweet, so good, and so pleasant.’