ugly, but withal a man of spirit, it is probable the girl's kindness
for him would have been much more decided. But he was a poor weak
creature, not to compare with honest Thomas Bullock, by at least
nine inches; and so notoriously timid, selfish, and stingy, that
there was a kind of shame in receiving his addresses openly; and
what encouragement Mrs. Catherine gave him could only be in secret.

But no mortal is wise at all times: and the fact was, that Hayes,
who cared for himself intensely, had set his heart upon winning
Catherine; and loved her with a desperate greedy eagerness and
desire of possession, which makes passions for women often so fierce
and unreasonable among very cold and selfish men. His parents
(whose frugality he had inherited) had tried in vain to wean him
from this passion, and had made many fruitless attempts to engage
him with women who possessed money and desired husbands; but Hayes
was, for a wonder, quite proof against their attractions; and,
though quite ready to acknowledge the absurdity of his love for a
penniless alehouse servant-girl, nevertheless persisted in it
doggedly. "I know I'm a fool," said he; "and what's more, the girl
does not care for me; but marry her I must, or I think I shall just
die: and marry her I will." For very much to the credit of Miss
Catherine's modesty, she had declared that marriage was with her a
sine qua non, and had dismissed, with the loudest scorn and
indignation, all propositions of a less proper nature.

Poor Thomas Bullock was another of her admirers, and had offered to
marry her; but three shillings a week and a puddn was not to the
girl's taste, and Thomas had been scornfully rejected. Hayes had
also made her a direct proposal. Catherine did not say no: she was
too prudent: but she was young and could wait; she did not care for