to make a good wife to such a one as I am. She's got everything that a
woman ought to have By George, she has!'

'She is a good girl, Mr Belton.'

'She is as good as gold, every inch of her.'

'But you have not known her very long, Mr Belton.'

'Quite long enough for my purposes. You see I knew all about her
beforehand who she is, and where she comes from. There's a great deal
in that, you know.'

Mr Amedroz shuddered at the expressions used. It was grievous to him to
hear his daughter spoken of as one respecting whom some one knew who
she was and whence she came. Such knowledge respecting the daughter of
such a family was, as a matter of course, common to all polite persons.
'Yes,' said Mr Amedroz, stiffly: 'you know as much as that about her,
certainly.'

'And she knows as much about me. Now the question is, whether you have
any objection to make?'

'Really, Mr Belton, you have taken me so much by surprise that I do not
feel myself competent to answer you at once.'

'Shall we say in an hour's time, sir?' An hour's time! Mr Amedroz, if
he could have been left to his own guidance, would have thought a month
very little for such a work.