"I suppose you're worth what he gives you." "All the same, I never put in a penny--I never had one to put; and there are hundreds, I dare say thousands, of men who could do all I do, and who'd be only too glad to do it, for a tenth part of what he gives me." "If I were you, I shouldn't tell him so." "He knows, my dear, he knows. He's the same with everybody about the place; it's a principle of his to treat everybody generously who does honest work for him; he wouldn't be happy if he thought that a man wasn't getting a fair share of the fruits of his own labours. In spite of his little eccentricities he's a magnificent fellow, and I couldn't do anything to annoy or disappoint him--not--well, I wouldn't do it." Miss Ross sighed. "You hadn't arranged to be married during that four months' absence of his." "I certainly hadn't." "Suppose the wedding-day had been fixed for two months after he had gone, and he had known it, would you have postponed it indefinitely, till he condescended to turn up again?" "I don't know what I should have done, I really don't; but I tell you what we might do--that is, if you wouldn't mind very much." "Oh, never mind what I mind; my wishes aren't of the slightest consequence; I shall begin to wish that I wasn't going to be married!" "Daisy! don't say that, even in jest. It's as hard upon me as it is upon you." "Honestly, Frank, I don't see it. To a man, having his wedding-day postponed, and that indefinitely, is, of course, rather a nuisance; but to a woman, it's--it's quite a different thing." "But I'm not going to suggest that it shall be postponed." "Then what are you going to suggest? What have you been suggesting for the last--I don't know how long?" "That's because the idea never occurred to me until just now; I don't know why; I suppose it's because I'm stupid." "Now what idea have you got into your head?" "I think I see a way out of the difficulty; that is, if you'll agree." "Agree to what?" "The great thing for us is to be married, isn't it?" "I don't know that I'm prepared to admit it till I know what you're leading up to." "Very well, then, as one of the parties I'll admit it; the one thing for which I'm living is to be married to you; when I am married I'll be happy." "Thank you; that's very nice of you; but I'm not going to admit anything till I know what it is you've got at the back of your head." "We're going to be married on Thursday--that is, this day week." "We were to have been married on Thursday; I know my wedding dress is coming home on Wednesday." "And after the wedding we're to start for a three months' tour on the continent, something like a honeymoon." "We were to have started for a three months' tour."