It would, indeed, in one aspect be a relief to her now, if she were so ashamed of him as she had appeared to be that day.

Were he dead, this little episode with him would fade away like a dream.
Mr.Everard was a good-hearted man at bottom, but to take his enraged offer seriously was impossible.

Obviously it was hotly made in his first bitterness at what he had heard.

The least thing that he could do would be to go away and never trouble her more.

To travel and learn and come back in two years, as mapped out in their first sanguine scheme, required a staunch heart on her side, if the necessary expenditure of time and money were to be afterwards justified; and it were folly to calculate on that when he had seen to-day that her heart was failing her already.