“No,” she said; “she has not told me so. But I have told her that it must be so.”

“And she does not wish it?”

“Do you want me to tell a lady’s secret? But in such a case as this the truth is always the best. She does wish it, with all her heart,—as much as any woman ever wished for anything. You need have no doubt about her loving you.”

“Of course, Mrs Mackenzie, I should take care in any case that she were provided for amply. If a single life will suit her best, she shall have half of all that she ever thought to be her own.”

“And do you wish it to be so?”

“I have not said that, Mrs Mackenzie. But it may be that I should wish her to have the choice fairly in her own power.”

“Then I can tell you at once which she would choose. Your offer is very generous. It is more than generous. But, Sir John, a single life will not suit her; and my belief is, that were you to offer her the money without your hand, she would not take a farthing of it.”

“She must have some provision.”

“She will take none from you but the one, and you need be under no doubt whatsoever that she will take that without a moment’s doubt as to her own future happiness. And, Sir John, I think you would have the best wife that I know anywhere among my acquaintance.” Then she stopped, and he sat silent, making no reply. “Shall I send to her now?” said Mrs Mackenzie.

“I suppose you might as well,” said Sir John.

Then Mrs Mackenzie got up and left the room, but she did not herself go up to her cousin. She felt that she could not see Margaret without saying something of what had passed between herself and Sir John, and that it would be better that nothing should be said. So she went away to her own room, and dispatched her maid to send the lamb to the lion. Nevertheless, it was not without compunction, some twang of feminine conscience, that Mrs Mackenzie gave up this opportunity of saying some last important word, and perhaps doing some last important little act with regard to those nicenesses of which she thought perhaps too much. Mrs Mackenzie’s philosophy was not without its truth; but a man of fifty should not be made to marry a woman by muslin and starch, if he be not prepared to marry her on other considerations.