been a fool, and, I suppose, have overstayed my market," and he looked
so depressed that Margaret relented a little.

"Well," she said, "at any rate it was honest, and of course I am glad
that you were honest."

"You said just now that I told falsehoods--twice; if I am honest, how
can I tell falsehoods?"

"I don't know. Why do you ask me riddles? Let me go and try to forget
all this."

"Not till you have answered me outright. Will you marry me, Margaret? If
you won't, there will be no need for you to go, for I shall go and
trouble you no more. You know what I am, and all about me, and I have
nothing more to say except that, although you may find many finer
husbands, you won't find one who would love and care for you better. I
know that you are very beautiful and very rich, while I am neither one
nor the other, and often I have wished to Heaven that you were not so
beautiful, for sometimes that brings trouble on women who are honest and
only have one heart to give, or so rich either. But thus things are, and
I cannot change them, and, however poor my chance of hitting the dove, I
determined to shoot my bolt and make way for the next archer. Is there
any chance at all, Margaret? Tell me, and put me out of pain, for I am
not good at so much talking."

Now Margaret began to grow disturbed; her wayward assurance departed
from her.

"It is not fitting," she murmured, "and I do not wish--I will speak to