Lister and her brother
good-evening, and went away down the lane arm-in-arm.
"What a lovely girl she is!" said Gilbert, when they were gone.
"Lovely is rather a strong word, Gilbert," Mrs. Lister answered coldly;
"she is certainly pretty, but I hope you are not going to lose your heart
in that direction."
"There is no fear of that. A man may admire a girl's face without being
in any danger of losing his heart. But why not in that direction, Belle?
Is there any special objection to the lady?"
"Only that she is a nobody, without either money or position and I think
you ought to have both when you marry."
"Thanks for the implied compliment; but I do not fancy that an
Australian merchant can expect to secure a wife of very exalted
position; and I am the last man in the world to marry for money."
"I don't for a moment suppose you would marry any one you didn't like,
from mercenary considerations; but there is no reason you should make a
foolish match."
"Of course not. I think it very doubtful whether I shall ever marry at
all. I am just the kind of man to go down to my grave a bachelor."
"Why so, Gilbert?"
"Well, I can hardly tell you, my dear. Perhaps I am rather difficult to
please--just a little stony-hearted and invulnerable. I know that since I
was a boy, and got over my schoolboy love affairs, I have never seen the
woman who could touch my heart.
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