“I tried to persuade Mark to drive over and see Tony Butler,” continued she, “but he would n't consent: in fact, a general impulse to be disobliging would appear to have seized on the world just now. Don't you think so?” “By the way, I forgot to tell you that your protégé Butler refuses to accept my offer. I got three lines from him, very dry and concise, saying 'no' to me. Of course I trust to your discretion never to disclose the negotiation in any way. I myself shall never speak of it; indeed, I am very little given to doing civil things, and even less accustomed to finding them ill-received, so that my secrecy is insured.” “He ought not to have refused,” said she, thoughtfully. “Perhaps not.” “He ought certainly to have given the matter more consideration. I wish I could have been consulted by him. Is it too late yet?” “I suspect it is,” said he, dryly. “First of all, as I told you, I am little in the habit of meeting a repulse; and, secondly, there is no time to renew the negotiation. I must leave this to-day.” “To-day?” “Within an hour,” added he, looking at his watch; “I must manage to reach Dublin in time to catch the mail-packet to-morrow morning.” “This is very sudden, this determination.” “Yes, I am called away by tidings I received awhile ago,--tidings of, to me, the deepest importance.” “Mark will be extremely sorry,” said she, in a low tone. “Not sorrier than I am,” said he, despondently. “We all counted on your coming back with us to the Abbey; and it was only awhile ago Bella begged that we should wait here for a day or two, that we might return together, a family party.” “What a flattery there is in the phrase!” said he, with deep feeling. “You don't know,” continued she, “what a favorite you are with my mother. I dare not trust myself to repeat how she speaks of you.” “Why will you multiply my regrets, Mrs. Trafford? Why will you make my parting so very, very painful?” “Because I prefer that you should stay; because I speak in the name of a whole house who will be afflicted at your going.” “You have told me of all save one,” said be, in a voice of deepest feeling; “I want to learn what she thinks.” “She thinks that if Mr. Maitland's good-nature be only on a par with his other qualities, he would sooner face the tiresomeness of a stupid house than make the owners of it feel that they bored him.”