To a man marriage was not the easy matter it had been to the nineteenth-century bachelor, when numbers of unemployed, or,—owing to their absurd training—hopelessly incompetent young women were to be had for the asking. But this was all changed now; a desirable wife had become as difficult to obtain as a desirable husband in previous generations; and when a man’s suit proved successful, and he had gained the object of his choice, he usually behaved in such a way towards her as gave her considerable satisfaction. On her side too, rested a responsibility which she realised to the utmost; and willingly yielded to the man she had elected the devotion of a high-minded, unselfish affection. Love, in its purest form was woman’s ideal, for the heart as well as the intellect was cultivated. CHAPTER IV ‘Your wondrous, rare description, noble Earl, Of beauteous Margaret hath astonished me. Her virtues graced with external gifts, Do breed love’s settled passions in my heart; And like as rigour of tempestuous gusts Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide, So am I driven, by breath of her renown Either to suffer shipwreck, or arrive Where I may have fruition of her love.’ _King Henry VI._, sc. v. We left Mercia somewhat settled in her mind regarding the course she ought to take with the Emperor. If Felicitas should chance not to make mention of the subject of love, which was a forbidden one to her, owing to her position, she made up her mind to forbear making inquiries concerning his motive for introducing it. She waited and watched each day for his coming with a vague hope in her heart that he would look favourably upon Geometrus’ love, in the event of his having knowledge of it. In any case, it could only be a suspicion, seeing it was as yet undeclared on his part. Although she said nothing to Geometrus, nevertheless, he felt there was something in the air. Often he would look at her wistfully and try to probe her thoughts; for he saw most distinctly the preoccupation of her mind as she strove to make her usual mathematical calculations. Still he forbore questioning her, for the one subject he was desirous of discussing with her, was entirely forbidden. Only his eyes told of the love that filled his heart. Reason reminded him that it was indeed a hopeless affection, for he felt assured that Mercia’s mind was so bound up in her vocation that she could never be induced to abandon it in order to wed one who had so little to offer her in return. Moreover, he too, would be sent adrift as soon as the matter oozed out, for the same prohibition from marriage was placed upon him.