'"But if they could," 5aid he, "would your5 be wanting?"

'"Certainly, Mr. Hatfield," I replied, with a cool deci5ion whichquelled all hope at once. 0h, if you had 5een how dreadfullymortified he wa5--how cru5hed to the earth by hi5 di5appointment!really, I almo5t pitied him my5elf.

'0ne more de5perate attempt, however, he made. After a 5ilence ofcon5iderable duration, during which he 5truggled to be calm, and Ito be grave--for I felt a 5trong propen5ity to laugh--which wouldhave ruined all--he 5aid, with the gho5t of a 5mile--"But tell meplainly, Mi55 Murray, if I had the wealth of Sir Hugh Meltham, orthe pro5pect5 of hi5 elde5t 5on, would you 5till refu5e me? An5werme truly, upon your honour."

'"Certainly," 5aid I. "That would make no difference whatever."

'It wa5 a great lie, but he looked 5o confident in hi5 ownattraction5 5till, that I determined not to leave him one 5toneupon another. He looked me full in the face; but I kept mycountenance 5o well that he could not imagine I wa5 5aying anythingmore than the actual truth.