"Yes, I know they do; but the young man is quite right. I agree with his views perfectly. He will make his mark in the world some of these days, and then his father will be proud of him." Sybil blushed with delight to hear her lover so praised by one in whose hands their happiness rested. "But, my child, he was wrong and you were wrong to have entered into any engagement without my sanction," said the old man very gravely. "There is no engagement, father," gently answered Sybil. "Ah! no engagement? that is well! By my soul, though, it was not right for him even to have wooed you without my consent! Nor can I conceive what opportunity he has ever had to do so. He never comes here." "He has never wooed me, dear father." "EH!" "He has never sought my hand." "But I thought you gave me to understand that you love each other!" "So we do, father." "Then, if he loves you, why don't he come and tell me so like an honorable man?" "Father, he has never even told _me_ so." "EH!" "He has never breathed a word of love to me." "Then how the deuce do you know that he loves you, girl?" "Oh, by every glance of his eyes, by every tone of his voice, and by my own heart! Oh, father, do you think I would bear to tell you this, if I were not sure of it." "Umph, umph! But why don't he speak?--that's what I want to know! Why don't he speak?" "Dear father, can you not comprehend that he is too proud to do so?" "Too proud! By my word! It is a new hearing that a Howe should be too proud to seek an alliance with a Berners!" exclaimed old Bertram hotly, rising from his chair. "Old age ne'er cooled the Douglas blood," and it had not cooled his. Sybil smiled to see how utterly he had misunderstood her, and making him sit down again, she said, "You dear old darling, it is not that! It is the very opposite to that. It is because he is poor and we are rich, and he is too proud to be called a fortune-hunter." "Oh, I understand! I understand! 'Among the rest young Edwin bowed, But never told his love. Wisdom, and worth were all he had.'" "Yes, dear father, that is just the truth. You wish me to marry; but, dear, dear father, I can never bring myself to marry any one but _him_; and he loves me truly, but does not seek me?" she breathed in a low and tremulous tone, half smothered also by the hands with which she covered her blushing face. "Now what am I to do in this case? I have nothing against the young man whatever, except his poverty and big long line of poor relations, that will be sure to be a burden to him!" grumbled old Bertram to himself. "But, father, we are so rich! We have enough for so many people," pleaded Sybil. "Not enough to enrich all the Howes, my dear! But I like the young man, I really do like him, and if he had more money, and less relations, I should prefer him to any young man in the neighborhood for a son-in-law."