'Don't be so matter-of-fact, Will. I say it's the prettiest in England,
and you can't contradict me.'

'And I say you're the prettiest girl in England, and you can't
contradict me.'

This annoyed Clara, and almost made her feel that her paragon of a
cousin was not quite so perfect as she had represented him to be. 'I
see', she said, 'that if I talk nonsense I'm to be punished.'

'Is it a punishment to you to know that I think you very handsome?' he
said, turning round and looking full into her face.

'It is disagreeable to me very, to have any such subject talked about
at all. What would you think if I began to pay you foolish personal
compliments?'

'What I say isn't foolish; and there's a great difference. Clara, I
love you better than all the world put together.'

She now looked at him; but still she did not believe it. It could not
be that after all her boastings she should have made so gross a
blunder. 'I hope you do love me,' she said; 'indeed, you are bound to
do so, for you promised that you would be my brother.'

'But that will not satisfy me now, Clara. Clara, I want to be your
husband.'

'Will!' she exclaimed.