young-looking woman. To the eyes of many men that would have been her
fault; but in the eyes of Belton it was no fault. He had not made
himself fastidious as to women by much consort with them, and he was
disposed to think that she who was to become his wife had better be
something more than a girl not long since taken out of the nursery. He
was well-to-do in the world, and could send his wife out in her
carriage, with all becoming bravery of appurtenances. And he would do
so, too, when he should have a wife. But still he would look to his
wife to be a useful partner to him. She should be a woman not above
agricultural solicitude, or too proud to have a care for her cows.
Clara, he was sure, had no false pride; and yet as he was sure also she
was at every point such a lady as would do honour to the carriage and
the bravery when it should be forthcoming. And then such a marriage as
this would put an end to all the trouble which he felt in reference to
the entail on the estate. He knew that he was to be master of Belton,
and of course had, in that knowledge, the satisfaction which men do
feel from the consciousness of their future prosperity. And this with
him was enhanced by a strong sympathy with old-fashioned prejudices as
to family. He would be Belton of Belton; and there had been Beltons of
Belton in old days, for a longer time backwards than he was able to
count. But still the prospect had not been without its alloy, and he
had felt real distress at the idea of turning his cousin out of her
father's house. Such a marriage as that he now contemplated would put
all these things right.

When he got up in the morning he was quite as keen about it as he had
been on the previous evening and as he thought about it the more, he
became keener and still more keen. On the previous evening, as he was
leaning out of the window endeavouring to settle in his own mind what
would be the proper conduct of the romance of the thing, he had