He had taken the privilege given to him, and
had made so complete a use of it that he had in truth transferred
his heart as well as his allegiance. Where is the young man who
cannot do so;--how few are there who do not do so when their first
passion has come on them at one-and-twenty? And he had thought
that she would do the same. But gradually he found that she had
not done so, did not do so, could not do so! When she first heard
of Lady Mary she had not reprimanded him,--but she could not keep
herself from showing the bitterness of her disappointment. Though
she would still boast of her own strength and of her own purpose,
yet it was too clear to him that she was wounded and very sore.
She would have liked him to remain single at any rate till she
herself had married. But the permission had hardly been given
before he availed himself of it. And then he talked to her not
only of the brilliancy of his prospects,--which she would have
forgiven,--but of his love--his love!
Then she had refused one offer after another, and he had known it
all.
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