How I wish he would!" "Alas, Maria, you always are so sanguine: your father is not very much given, I fear, to that sort of sociality.

No, my love; if you only will be ruled by me, and will do as I do, managing to hold your tongue, I think you need not apprehend many conversational advances on your father's part." Poor Maria had more than one reason to fear all this was true, too true; so her lip only quivered, and her eyes overflowed as usual.
Thereafter, Lady Dillaway had all the talk to herself, and she smoothly whispered on without let or hindrance; and what between really hoping things kindly of her husband's better feelings, and desiring to lighten the anxieties of dear Maria's heart, she placed the whole affair in such a calm, warm, and glowing Claude-light, as apparently to supply an emendation (no doubt the right reading) to the well known aphorism-- "The course of true love never did run smooth-_er_." In fine, our warm and confiding Maria ran up to her own room quite elated after that interview; and she heartily thanked God that those dreaded obstacles to her affection were so easily got over, and that her dear, dear father had proved so kind.
It is quite a work of supererogation to report how speedily the welcome news were made known, by _billet-doux_, to Henry Clements; but they rather smote his conscience, too, when he reflected that he had not yet made formal petition to the powers on his own account.

To be sure, they (the lovers, to wit) were engaged only yesterday, quite in an unintended, though delightful, way: and, previously to that important _tete-a-tete_, however much he may have thought of only dear Maria--however frequently he found himself beside her in the circle of their many mutual friends--however happily he hoped for her love--however foolishly he reveried about her kindness in the solitude of his Temple garret--still he never yet had seen occasion to screw his courage to the sticking point, and boldly place his bliss at hard Sir Thomas's disposal.

Some day--not yet--perhaps next week, at any rate not exactly to-day--these were his natural excuses; and they availed him even to the other side of that social Rubicon, engagement.

Nevertheless, now at length something must decidedly be done; and, within half an hour, Finsbury's deserted square echoed to the heroic knock of Mr.Henry Clements, fully determined upon claiming his Maria at her father's hands.
The knight was out; probably, or rather certainly, not yet returned from his counting-house in St.Benet's Sherehog.