to praise her with some peculiar intention of meaning in his tone, she
was confounded. She had made no immediate answer to him, but walked on
rapidly through the mud and slush.

"You are very constant," said he; "I have not been two years at
Clavering without finding that out." It was becoming worse and worse. It
was not so much his words which provoked her as the tone in which they
were uttered. And yet she had not the slightest idea of what was coming.
If, thoroughly admiring her devotion and mistaken as to her character,
he were to ask her to become a Protestant nun, or suggest to her that
she should leave her home and go as nurse into a hospital, then there
would have occurred the sort of folly of which she believed him to be
capable. Of the folly which he now committed, she had not believed him
to be capable.

It had come on to rain hard, and she held her umbrella low over her
head. He also was walking with an open umbrella in his hand, so that
they were not very close to each other. Fanny, as she stepped on
impetuously, put her foot into the depth of a pool, and splashed herself
thoroughly.

"Oh dear, oh dear," said she; "this is very disagreeable."

"Miss Clavering," said he, "I have been looking for an opportunity to
speak to you, and I do not know when I may find another so suitable as
this." She still believed that some proposition was to be made to her
which would be disagreeable, and perhaps impertinent; but it never
occurred to her that Mr. Saul was in want of a wife.

"Doesn't it rain too hard for talking?" she said.