spoke again. 'It will depend entirely upon you,' he said, 'whether I may have the happiness of returning soon to Noningsby.'
'On me, Mr. Orme!'
'Yes, on you. I do not know how to speak properly that which I have to say; but I believe I may as well say it out at once. I have come here now to tell you that I love you and to ask you to be my wife.' And then he stopped as though there were nothing more for him to say upon the matter.
It would be hardly extravagant to declare that Madeline's breath was taken away by the very sudden manner in which young Orme had made his proposition. It had never entered her head that she had an admirer in him. Previously to Graham's accident she had thought nothing about him. Since that event she had thought about him a good deal; but altogether as of a friend of Graham's. He had been good and kind to Graham, and therefore she had liked him and had talked to him. He had never said a word to her that had taught her to regard him as a possible lover; and now that he was an actual lover, a declared lover standing before her, waiting for an answer, she was so astonished that she did not know how to speak. All her ideas too, as to love,—such ideas as she had ever formed, were confounded by this abruptness. She would have thought, had she brought herself absolutely to think upon it, that all speech of love should be very delicate; that love should grow slowly, and then be whispered softly, doubtingly, and with infinite care. Even had she loved him, or had she been in the way towards loving him, such violence as this would have frightened her and scared her love away. Poor Peregrine! His intentions had been so good and honest! He was so true and hearty, and free from all conceit in the matter! It was a pity that he should have marred his cause by such ill judgment.
But there he stood waiting an answer,—and expecting it to be as open, definite, and plain as though he had asked her to take a walk with him. 'Madeline,' he said, stretching out his hand when he perceived that she did not speak to him at once. 'There is my hand. If it be possible give me yours.'
'Oh, Mr. Orme!'
'I know that I have not said what I had to say very,—very gracefully. But you will not regard that I think. You are too good, and too true.'
She had now seated herself, and he was standing before her. She had retreated to a sofa in order to avoid the hand which he had offered her; but he followed her, and even yet did not know that he had no chance of success. 'Mr. Orme,' she said at last, speaking hardly above her breath, 'what has made you do this?'
'What has made me do it? What has made me tell you that I love you?'
