How should he express himself to her?
That was the thought present to his mind as he went down to Matching.

Should he content himself with simply telling her that such a wish on her part was disgraceful, and that it could never be fulfilled; or should he argue the matter with her, endeavouring as he did so to persuade her gently that she was wrong to place her affections so low, and so to obtain from her an assurance that the idea should be abandoned?
The latter course would be infinitely the better,--if only he could accomplish it.

But he was conscious of his own hardness of manner, and was aware that he had never succeeded in establishing confidence between himself and his daughter.

It was a thing for which he had longed,--as a plain girl might long to possess the charms of an acknowledged beauty;--as a poor little fellow, five feet in height, might long to have a cubit added to his stature.
Though he was angry with her, how willingly would he take her into his arms and assure her of his forgiveness! How anxious he would be to make her understand that nothing should be spared by him to add beauty and grace to her life! Only, as a matter of course, Mr.
Tregear must be abandoned.

But he knew of himself that he would not know how to begin to be tender and forgiving.