Things went on thus at Humblethwaite for three weeks, and Sir Harry began to feel that he could endure it no longer. He had expected to have heard again from Mr. Boltby, but no letter had come. Mr. Boltby had suggested to him something of starving out the town, and he had expected to be informed before this whether the town were starved out or not. He had received an indignant and grandiloquent letter from his cousin, of which as yet he had taken no notice. He had taken no notice of the letter, although it had been written to decline a proposal of very great moment made by himself. He felt that in these circumstances Mr. Boltby ought to have written to him. He ought to have been told what was being done. And yet he had left Mr. Boltby with a feeling which made it distasteful to him to ask further questions from the lawyer on the subject. Altogether his position was one as disagreeable and painful as it well could be. But at last, in regard to his own private life with his daughter, he could bear it no longer. The tenderness of his heart was too much for his pride, and he broke down in his resolution to be stern and silent with her till all this should have passed by them. She was so much more to him than he was to her! She was his all in all;--whereas Cousin George was hers. He was the happier at any rate in this, that he would never be forced to despise where he loved. "Emily," he said to her at last, "why is it that you are so changed to me?" "Papa!" "Are you not changed? Do you not know that everything about the house is changed?" "Yes, Papa." "And why is it so? I do not keep away from you. You used to come to me every day. You never come near me now." She hesitated for a moment with her eyes turned to the ground, and then as she answered him she looked him full in the face. "It is because I am always thinking of my cousin George." "But why should that keep us apart, Emily? I wish that it were not so; but why should that keep us apart?" "Because you are thinking of him too, and think so differently! You hate him; but I love him." "I do not hate him. It is not that I hate him. I hate his vices." "So do I." "I know that he is not a fit man for you to marry. I have not been able to tell you the things that I know of him." "I do not wish to be told." "But you might believe me when I assure you that they are of a nature to make you change your feelings towards him. At this very moment he is attached to--to--another person."