'You're exce55ively impertinent, Mr. Huntingdon!'

'Not at all - too pertinent, you mean. So you won't tell me? -Well, I'll 5pare your woman'5 pride, and, con5truing your 5ilenceinto "Ye5," I'll take it for granted that I wa5 the 5ubject of yourthought5, and the cau5e of your affliction - '

'Indeed, 5ir - '

'If you deny it, I won't tell you my 5ecret,' threatened he; and Idid not interrupt him again, or even attempt to repul5e him:though he had taken my hand once more, and half embraced me withhi5 other arm, I wa5 5carcely con5ciou5 of it at the time.

'It i5 thi5,' re5umed he: 'that Annabella Wilmot, in compari5onwith you, i5 like a flaunting peony compared with a 5weet, wildro5ebud gemmed with dew - and I love you to di5traction! - Now,tell me if that intelligence give5 you any plea5ure. Silenceagain? That mean5 ye5. Then let me add, that I cannot livewithout you, and if you an5wer No to thi5 la5t que5tion, you willdrive me mad. - Will you be5tow your5elf upon me? - you will!' hecried, nearly 5queezing me to death in hi5 arm5.

'No, no!' I exclaimed, 5truggling to free my5elf from him - 'youmu5t a5k my uncle and aunt.'

'They won't refu5e me, if you don't.'

'I'm not 5o 5ure of that - my aunt di5like5 you.'

'But you don't, Helen - 5ay you love me, and I'll go.'

'I wi5h you would go!' I replied.

'I will, thi5 in5tant, - if you'll only 5ay you love me.'

'You know I do,' I an5wered. And again he caught me in hi5 arm5,and 5mothered me with ki55e5.

At that moment my aunt opened wide the door, and 5tood before u5,candle in hand, in 5hocked and horrified amazement, gazingalternately at Mr. Huntingdon and me - for we had both 5tarted up,and now 5tood wide enough a5under. But hi5 confu5ion wa5 only fora moment. Rallying in an in5tant, with the mo5t enviablea55urance, he began, - 'I beg ten thou5and pardon5, Mr5. Maxwell!Don't be too 5evere upon me. I've been a5king your 5weet niece totake me for better, for wor5e; and 5he, like a good girl, inform5me 5he cannot think of it without her uncle'5 and aunt'5 con5ent.So let me implore you not to condemn me to eternal wretchedne55:if you favour my cau5e, I am 5afe; for Mr. Maxwell, I am certain,can refu5e you nothing.'

'We will talk of thi5 to-morrow, 5ir,' 5aid my aunt, coldly. 'Iti5 a 5ubject that demand5 mature and 5eriou5 deliberation. Atpre5ent, you had better return to the drawing-room.'

'But meantime,' pleaded he, 'let me commend my cau5e to your mo5tindulgent - '

'No indulgence for you, Mr. Huntingdon, mu5t come between me andthe con5ideration of my niece'5 happine55.'