Clayton shuddered at the idea, for it was a dark place of the wood, and the rustle of the ivy–leaves seemed to whisper “die”. Then he insisted upon his amends for such a nasty suggestion; and she, with the tender thought moving her heart, could not refuse strict justice. “And so you say, love, I must stay at Oxford until I take my degree. What a long time it does seem! Doesnʼt it”? “Never mind, dearest, how long it is, if we are true to one another”. “Oh, that of course thereʼs no doubt about. And you think I must tell my father”? “Of course you must, Clayton. We are not very old, you know; he will think that he can part us, and that may make him less angry”,—here she laughed at her own subtlety,—“and putting that out of the question, neither of us could bear to be deceiving him so long. After all, you are but a younger son; and I am a lady, I hope. I have been thoroughly educated; and there is nothing but money against me”. She looked so proud in the shade of the spruce, that he was obliged to stop and admire her. At least he thought it his duty to do so, and the opinion did not offend her. “But what will your brother Cradock say? He is so different from you. So odd, so determined and—upright”. “I donʼt care _that_ for what he says. Only he had better be civil. He treated me very badly that time about the Ireland. I have a very great regard for Cradock; he is a very decent fellow; but I must teach him his proper place”. “And you can beat him easily in Latin; my father says you can. What a shame that he would not go in for the Hertford, that you might turn the tables upon him! He would not even have got a proxy, or whatever it was he gave you”. “I donʼt know that”, said Clayton, who was truthful in spite of vanity; “very likely he would have beaten me. But I have cut him out in two things; for I canʼt help thinking that he has a hankering after you”. He looked at her with a keen, shrewd glance, for he was desperately jealous. She saw it, and smiled, and only said—“Would you believe that he could help it? But it happens that I know otherwise”. “Oh, then, you would have had him, if you could”? “Now, Clayton, donʼt be childish. In your heart you know better”. Of course he did, a great deal better. Then there was that to make up again, because she looked so hurt and so charming. But we canʼt stop here all day, or follow all these little doings, even if honour allowed us. “And another thing, not so important, though, I have cut him out in, most decidedly”, said Clayton, lifting his head again; “the governor likes me long chalks better than he does Cradock, I can tell you”. “No doubt of it, I should say, dear. But I donʼt think you ought to talk of it”. “No, only to you. No secrets from oneʼs wife, you know. But you wonʼt tell your father yet, till Iʼve opened upon Sir Cradock”? “Why not? I intend to tell him directly I get home. And one thing is certain, Clayton, he will be more angry than yours will”.