"I will take no privilege from you on such a basis. What I have to ask of you must be given on my own account, or on my own refused. Caroline, since we parted in that room in Jerusalem, I have thought seriously of little else than of you. You could not answer me then; you gave me no answer; you did not know your own heart, you said. You must know it now. Absence has taught me much, and it must have taught you something." "And what has it taught you?" said she, with her eyes fixed on the ground. "That the world has but one thing desirable for me, and that I should not take a man's part unless I endeavoured to obtain it. I am here to ask for it. And now, what has absence taught you?" "Oh, so many things! I cannot repeat my lesson in one word, as you do." "Come, Caroline, I look at least for sincerity from you. You are too good, too gracious to indulge a girlish vanity at the cost of a man's suspense." Missish and girlish! Miss Waddington felt that it behoved her to look to her character. These were words which had not usually been applied to her. "Indeed, Mr. Bertram, I should think myself unpardonable to keep you in suspense." "Then answer me," said he. He had by this time let go her hand, and was standing at a little distance from her, on the hearth-rug. Never had lady been wooed in a sterner manner; but Caroline almost felt that she liked him the better for it. He had simpered and said his little nothings so like an ordinary gentleman during their ride, that his present brusqueness was quite a relief to her. But still she did not answer him at once. She essayed to stick her needle into her work, and pricked her finger in lieu of it. "Come, Caroline; am I wrong in supposing that now at least you must know your own feelings? Or shall I tell you again how dearly, how truly I love you?" "No!--no!--no!" "Answer me, then. In honest, plain, Christian sincerity, answer me; as a true woman should answer a true man. Do you love me?" For a moment there was no answer. "Well, I will not ask again. I will not torment you." "Oh, Mr. Bertram! What am I to say? What would you have me say? Do not be so stern with me." "Stern!" "Well, are you not stern?" And coming up close to him, she looked into his face. "Caroline," said he, "will you be my wife?" "I will." It was a motion of the lips rather than a spoken word; but, nevertheless, he heard it. Fool that he was not to have heard it before in the beating of her heart; not to have seen it in the tear in her eye; not to have felt it in the warmth of her hand. On that afternoon Miss Waddington's ride was much more energetic, and on that evening Miss Baker did not think it necessary to catch a curate to drink wine with George Bertram. He was made quite at home, and given to understand that he had better leave the dining-room when the ladies did so.