"Well, speaking after the manner of men, you might run off with Miss
Bentley."

All the blood in his body flushed into his face. "Don't!" he gasped, and
I divined that what I had said must have been in his thoughts before,
and I laughed again. "It wouldn't do," he added, piteously. "The
scandal--I am a clergyman, and my parish--"

I perceived that no moral scruple presented itself to him; when it came
to the point, he was simply and naturally a lover, like any other man;
and I persisted: "It would only be a seven days' wonder. I never heard
of a clergyman's running away to be married; but they must have
sometimes done it. Come, I don't believe you'd have to plead hard with
Miss Bentley, and Mrs. March and I will aid and abet you to the limit of
our small ability. I'm sure that if I wrap up warm against the night
air, she will let me go and help you hold the rope-ladder taut."


X.

It was not very reverent to his cloth, or his recent tragical mood, but
Glendenning was not offended; he laughed with a sheepish pleasure, and
that evening he came with Miss Bentley to call upon us. The visit passed
without unusual confidences until they rose to go, when she said
abruptly to me: "I feel that we both owe you a great deal, Mr. March.
Arthur has been telling me of your talk this afternoon, and I think that
what you said was all so wise and true! I don't mean," she added, "your
suggestion about putting an end to the anomaly!" and she and Glendenning
both laughed.