There was so long a pause that I could not help stealing forward to look what was the reason. My father's face was as black as night, and he stood opposite his friend in a rigid fixed attitude, vacantly looking at him--then he turned suddenly on his heel, "Excuse me--I am faint--I will return to you instantly," he said, as he hurried in. Mr. Osborne shrugged his shoulders, gazed after him, shrugged again, began to whistle, and then suddenly turning round found himself face to face with me. For the first moment I think I was the least disconcerted--for I was very angry and indignant beyond measure; but, as his face gradually brightened into its usual expression of shrewdness and good-humored sarcasm, my own courage fell. I had been eavesdropping, finding out my father's secrets without his knowledge--playing a very shabby part--I who piqued myself upon my sense of honor. "So!" said Mr. Osborne, "your father is right, young lady. I see I did not understand Hester; pray what may you be doing here?" And I, who had intended to denounce his paltry views, and to pour out the full tide of my indignation upon him for thwarting and chafing my father--I was ready to cry with vexation and mortified pride. "I did not intend to listen--I was only here by chance--and, at first, I thought you knew I was here," said I, making a pause between each sentence, swallowing down my ire and my humiliation. After all I had heard, to have to excuse myself to him! "Well, your father's run away," said Mr. Osborne; "suppose we finish the argument, Hester. It is your concern after all; but I suppose such a thing as a sweetheart, or the dim possibility of being wooed and married never entered your guileless thoughts at all?" I did not answer him--my girlish pride was on fire, and my cheeks burnt, but I could find nothing sufficiently annihilating to reply to Mr. Osborne. We heard the noise of an opened door just then, and of a footstep in the passage which led to the garden. Mr. Osborne glanced hastily round him, and then bent forward to me. "Hester, attend to me. You are very young, and have had a wild education; try, if you can think before you permit your father to decide on this. Do you mark me? I know this boy--he is a better boy than you are, and he has a fantastic fancy for you, as great as you could desire. Hester, here's your father. I'll keep your secret, and do you think of what I say."