Something seemed to rise in his throat and cut off his speech.

Dorothe glanced at him, her great dark eyes wide open in real or affected wonder and asked: "Well, Mr.Price, for what have you chosen this moment ?" "It is, madame, to tell you--ahem, this day is very hot." "So it is," Dorothe answered, her dark eyes beaming tenderly on him.
"Won't you sit?
Your long ride has fatigued you." "Indeed it has," answered Hugh, accepting the proffered seat.

The fine speech which Hugh had been studying all the way to Jamestown had quite vanished from his mind; but the widow was inclined to help him on with his wooing.

After three or four more efforts to clear his throat, he began: "Mrs.Stevens, I came--ahem--all the way here to ask you--to get your opinion--that is to say--" Here he stopped again.

The words in his throat had become clogged, and Hugh's face was purple, while great drops of sweat stood out in beads on his forehead.
Dorothe, free from the embarrassment which tortured him, waited a respectable length of time for him to clear away that annoying obstruction in his throat, and then to help him along, began: "Why, Mr.Price, you have always been one of my best friends, and I assure you that any suggestion or information I can give you, will be freely given," and here the widow blushed to the border of her cap, and touched her mouth with the corner of her apron.
Price, fixing his eyes on the ceiling, gathered courage enough to begin again: "I have come to remark, Mrs.Stevens, that--ahem--that--do you think the restoration of monarchy is permanent ?" "Oh, I hope so," replied the widow very earnestly and softly, with a glance at the cavalier.
"Under the restoration, do you--ahem--think it is a much greater expense to keep two people than to keep one ?" He was getting at it at last.
"Oh, dear me, Mr.Price!" said Mrs.Stevens, coloring again, for she fancied she saw in the near future a proposal coming.