the fire on one side with a handkerchief over her lap, and Mr. Burton
had been comfortable with his arm-chair and his slippers on the other
side. When tea was over, Harry had made his parting speech to Mrs.
Burton, and that lady had kissed him, and bade God bless him. "I'll see
you for a moment before you go, in my office, Harry," Mr. Burton had
said. Then Harry had gone down stairs, and some one else had gone boldly
with him, and they two were sitting together in the dingy brown room.
After that I need hardly tell my reader what had become of Harry
Clavering's perpetual, life-enduring heart's misery.

He and Florence were sitting on the old horsehair sofa and Florence's
hand was in his. "My darling," he said, "how am I to live for the next
two years?"

"You mean five years, Harry."

"No; I mean two--that is, two, unless I can make the time less. I
believe you'd be better pleased to think it was ten."

"Much better pleased to think it was ten than to have no such hope at
all. Of course we shall see each other. It's not as though you were
going to New Zealand."

"I almost wish I were. One would agree then as to the necessity of this
cursed delay."

"Harry, Harry!"

"It is accursed. The prudence of the World in these latter days seems to
me to be more abominable than all its other iniquities."