Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/72

34 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, thatthat 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 ofsomething; so he broke it off. Then it was found that he was dying ofsome other thing; so she broke it off. Then the Major turned out to be a confirmed gamester; so the Earl broke it off.