what, it was not easy to tell: he could command his coun-
tenance thoroughly.

"I scarcely expected to hear that expression from you,"
he said: "I think I have done and uttered nothing to
deserve scorn."

I was touched by his gentle tone, and overawed by his
high, calm mien.

"Forgive me the words, St. John: but it is your own
fault that I have been roused to speak so unguardedly.
You have introduced a topic on which our natures are at
variance—a topic we should never discuss: the very name
of love is an apple of discord between us—if the reality
were required what should we do? How should we feel?
My dear cousin, abandon your scheme of marriage—forget
it."

"No," said he; "it is a long-cherished scheme, and the
only one which can secure my great end: but I shall urge
you no further at present. To-morrow, I leave home for
Cambridge: I have many friends there to whom I should
wish to say farewell. I shall be absent a fortnight—take
that space of time to consider my offer: and do not forget
that if you reject it, it is not me you deny, but God. Through
my means, He opens to you a noble career; as my wife only
can you enter upon it. Refuse to be my wife, and you limit
yourself for ever to a track of selfish ease and barren ob-
scurity. Tremble lest in that case you should be numbered
with those who have denied the faith, and are worse than
infidels!"

He had done. Turning from me, he once more—

"Looked to river, looked to hill:"

But this time his feelings were all pent in his heart: I was
not worthy to hear them uttered. As I walked by his side
homeward, I read well in his iron silence all he felt towards
me: the disappointment of an austere and despotic nature,
which has met resistance where it expected submission—
the disapprobation of a cool, inflexible judgment, which has
detected in another feelings and views in which it has no
power to sympathise: in short, as a man, he would have
wished to coerce me into obedience: it was only as a sincere
Christian he bore so patiently with my perversity, and
allowed so long a space for reflection and repentance.

That night, after he had kissed his sisters, he thought

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