If her pride now interfered with her future fortune in life, it should be her own fault, not his.

He would do his duty to her and to his aunt;--he would do it perseveringly and kindly; and then, if she refused him, the fault would not be his.
Such, I think, was the state of Captain Aylmer's mind when he got up on the Sunday morning, resolving that he would on that day make good his promise.

And it must be remembered, on his behalf, that he would have prepared himself for his task with more animation if he had hitherto received warmer encouragement.

He had felt himself to be repulsed in the little efforts which he had already made to please the lady, and had no idea whatever as to the true state of her feelings.

Had he known what she knew, he would, I think, have been animated enough, and gone to his task as happy and thriving a lover as any.