to any circumstances. It's the one thing that makes me respect our
fallen nature. Fallen? It seems to me that we ought to call it our risen
nature; it has steadily mounted with the responsibility that Adam took
for it--or Eve."

"I don't see," said my wife, pursuing her momentary advantage, "why they
should not be getting as much pleasure or happiness out of life as most
married people. Engagements are supposed to be very joyous, though I
think they're rather exciting and restless times, as a general thing. If
they've settled down to being merely engaged, I've no doubt they've
decided to make the best of being merely engaged as long as her mother
lives."

"There is that view of it," I assented.


XII.

By the following autumn Glendenning had completed the seventh year of
his engagement to Miss Bentley, and I reminded my wife that this seemed
to be the scriptural length of a betrothal, as typified in the service
which Jacob rendered for Rachel. "But _he_ had a prospective
father-in-law to deal with," I added, "and Glendenning a mother-in-law.
That may make a difference."

Mrs. March did not join me in the humorous view of the affair which I
took. She asked me if I had heard anything from Glendenning lately; if
that were the reason why I mentioned him.

"No," I said; "but I have some office business that will take me to