But had he been thoroughly in earnest,--in earnest as she would have him to be,--no laugh would have deterred him from his purpose.

Could she have laughed Will Belton out of his declaration?
At last the lips ceased to move, and she knew that her aunt was in truth asleep.

The poor old lady hardly ever slept at night; but nature, claiming something of its due, would give her rest such as this in her arm-chair by the fire-side.

They were sitting in a large double drawing-room upstairs, in which there were, as was customary with Mrs.Winterfield in winter, two fires; and the candles were in the back-room, while the two ladies sat in that looking out into the street.

This Mrs.Winterfield did to save her eyes from the candles, and yet to be within reach of light if it were wanted.