When he and his hand got home he found it quite able to write her
a letter, or rather not so much a letter as a burst of enthusiastic
aspiration, asking her to marry him.
She was startled; and never having decided on anything in her life,
she carried this letter direct to Lady Arthur.
"Here's a thing," she said, "that I don't know what to think of."
"What kind of thing, Alice?"
"A letter."
"Who is it from?"
"Mr. Eildon."
"Indeed! I should not think a letter from him would be a complicated
affair or difficult to understand."
"Neither is it: perhaps you would read it?"
"Certainly, if you wish it." When she had read the document she said,
"Well I never gave George credit for much wisdom, but I did not think
he was foolish enough for a thing like this; and I never suspected it.
Are you in love too?" and Lady Arthur laughed heartily: it seemed to
strike her in a comic light.
"No. I never thought of it or of him either," Alice said, feeling
queer and uncomfortable.
"Then that simplifies matters. I always thought George's only chance
in life was to marry a wealthy woman, and how many good, accomplished
women there are, positively made of money, who would give anything to
marry into our family!"
"Are there?" said Alice.
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