“I am _very_ grateful to you,” she said earnestly. “Believe it, please! I ca’n’t put it into proper words!” and the subject was dropped by mutual consent: and I only learned, long afterwards, that our discussion had really served to dispel the doubts that had harassed her so long. We parted at the Hall-gate, and I found Arthur eagerly awaiting my arrival; and, before we parted for the night, I had heard the whole story—how he had put off his journey from day to day, feeling that he _could_ not go away from the place till his fate had been irrevocably settled by the wedding taking place: how the preparations for the wedding, and the excitement in the neighbourhood, had suddenly come to an end, and he had learned (from Major Lindon, who called to wish him good-bye) that the engagement had been broken off by mutual consent: how he had instantly abandoned all his plans for going abroad, and had decided to stay on at Elveston, for a year or two at any rate, till his newly-awakened hopes should prove true or false; and how, since that memorable day, he had avoided all meetings with Lady Muriel, fearing to betray his feelings before he had had any sufficient evidence as to how she regarded him. “But it is nearly six weeks since all that happened,” he said in conclusion, “and we can meet in the ordinary way, now, with no need for any painful allusions. I would have written to tell you all this: only I kept hoping from day to day, that—that there would be _more_ to tell!” “And how should there be _more_, you foolish fellow,” I fondly urged, “if you never even go near her? Do you expect the offer to come from _her_?” Arthur was betrayed into a smile. “No,” he said, “I hardly expect _that_. But I’m a desperate coward. There’s no doubt about it!” “And what _reasons_ have you heard of for breaking off the engagement?” “A good many,” Arthur replied, and proceeded to count them on his fingers. “First, it was found that she was dying of—something; so _he_ broke it off. Then it was found that _he_ was dying of—some other thing; so _she_ broke it off. Then the Major turned out to be a confirmed gamester; so the _Earl_ broke it off. Then the Earl insulted him; so the _Major_ broke it off. It got a good deal broken off, all things considered!” “You have all this on the very best authority, of course?” “Oh, certainly! And communicated in the strictest confidence! Whatever defects Elveston society suffers from, _want of information_ isn’t one of them!” “Nor _reticence_, either, it seems. But, seriously, do you know the real reason?” “No, I’m quite in the dark.” I did not feel that I had any right to enlighten him; so I changed the subject, to the less engrossing one of “new milk,” and we agreed that I should walk over, next day, to Hunter’s farm, Arthur undertaking to set me part of the way, after which he had to return to keep a business-engagement. CHAPTER III. STREAKS OF DAWN.