"Ay, a gentleman," said the worthy woman; "and one of the right sort too, or you may depend upon it I wouldn't have had him shown into my front parlour, where he now is. Not but what you can take care of yourself, Miss Fanny, and I trust you to give any jackanapes a regular good setting-down, with your quiet look, and your calm voice, and your none-of-your-impudence manner; but this is a gentleman, and when I showed him into the parlour, I told him I was sure you would see him." "I will come directly, Mrs. Gillot." She rose, took a hasty glance in the little scrap of looking-glass, and descended the stairs. Her heart beat highly as she laid her hand upon the parlour-door. It resumed its normal rate or pulsation as the door opened beneath her touch, and she saw, standing before her on the hearth-rug, the unexpected figure of John Merton. Something in her face when she first recognised him, something in the tone of her voice, some note of surprise and disappointment when she bade him goodmorning, must have betrayed itself, for he said hurriedly: "You did not expect to see me, Miss Stafford." "I confess I did not; but of course I am very glad. I--I hope Bella is quite well?" "Bella is very well, I believe." "Have you brought me some message from her?" "No, indeed. She does not even know I was coming here." There was a pause, then he said: "I suppose you do not think I have taken a liberty in calling on you, Miss Stafford?" "Oh dear, no! I have known you so long, and your sister is such an intimate acquaintance of mine, that I could not be anything of that sort. What makes you ask?" "Well, you looked so--so surprised at seeing me." "I was surprised at seeing anyone. No one ever comes here after me." "No?" said John Merton, interrogatively, and his face seemed to brighten as he said it. "No," said Daisy; "and my landlady must have been as much astonished as I am. You must have made a very favourable impression on her to obtain admittance." "Mrs. Gillot is a very old friend of mine," said John Merton. "She has known me since I was a boy; but I should not have presumed upon that acquaintance to ask for you, nor indeed, Miss Stafford, should I have ventured to come here at all, if I had not something very particular to say to you." "Very particular to say to me!" "To say to you something so special and particular, that your answer to it may change the course of my whole life. I must ask you to listen to me, Miss Stafford. I won't keep you a minute longer than I can help." Daisy bowed her head in acquiescence. She had taken a seat, but he remained standing before her, half leaning over towards her, with one hand on the table.