upon him, he looked at the aspirant with severe and unpleasant
eyes. It was manifest to the aspirant that the first flash of
the thing was painful to the father.

'Yes, sir. I know how great is my presumption. But, yet having
ventured, I will hardly say to entertain any hope, but to have
come to such a state that I can only by happy by hoping, I have
thought it best to come to you at once.'

'Does she know anything of this?'

'Of my visit to you? Nothing.'

'Of your intentions;--of your suit generally? Am I to
understand that this has any sanction from her?'

'None at all.'

'Have you told her anything of it?'

'Not a word. I come to ask you for your permission to address
her.'

'You mean that she has no knowledge whatever of your, your
preference for her.'

'I cannot say that. It is hardly possible that I should have
learned to love her as I do without some consciousness on her
part that it is so.'