twenty-one, a tradesman's apprentice, to ask the hand of a young
gentlewoman, uncertain if she loved him, was most utter folly. Also,
for a penniless youth to sue a lady with a fortune, even though it
was (the Brithwoods took care to publish the fact) smaller than was
at first supposed--would, in the eye of the world's honour, be not
very much unlike knavery. There was no help--none!

"David," I groaned, "I would you had never seen her."

"Hush!--not a word like that. If you heard all I hear of her--daily-
-hourly--her unselfishness, her energy, her generous, warm heart! It
is blessedness even to have known her. She is an angel--no, better
than that, a woman! I did not want her for a saint in a shrine--I
wanted her as a help-meet, to walk with me in my daily life, to
comfort me, strengthen me, make me pure and good. I could be a good
man if I had her for my wife. Now--"

He rose, and walked rapidly up and down. His looks were becoming
altogether wild.

"Come, Phineas, suppose we go to meet her up the road--as I meet her
almost every day. Sometimes she merely bends and smiles, sometimes
she holds out her little hand, and 'hopes I am quite well!' And then
they pass on, and I stand gaping and staring after them like an
idiot. There--look--there they are now."

Ay! walking leisurely along the other side of the road--talking and
smiling to one another, in their own merry, familiar way, were Mrs.
Jessop and Miss March.