marriage?"

"I think it might have been better that you should have gone to my
father."

"It may be that that is the rule in such things, but if so, I do not
know it. Would she have liked that better?"

"Well; I can't say."

You are engaged? Did you go to the young lady's family first?"

"I can't say I did; but I think I had given them some ground to expect
it. I fancy they all knew what I was about. But it's over now; and I
don't know that we need say anything more about it."

"Certainly not. Nothing can be said that would be of any use; but I do
not think I have done anything that you should resent."

"Resent is a strong word. I don't resent it, or, at any rate, I won't;
and there may be an end of it." After this, Harry was more gracious with
Mr. Saul, having an idea that the curate had made some sort of apology
for what he had done. But that, I fancy, was by no means Mr. Saul's view
of the case. Had he offered to marry the daughter of the Archbishop of
Canterbury, instead of the daughter of the Rector of Clavering, he would
not have imagined that his doing so needed an apology.

The day after his return from London, Lady Clavering sent for Harry up
to the House. "So you saw my sister in London?!" she said.