“Loved her?”
“Yes, and love her!”
“Love her?”
“Yes, and shall always love her, highly and purely though, as a saint loves an angel.”
“You astonish me!”
“And I shall astonish you more, perhaps. Three several times in one year I wooed her, and three several times was my suit rejected by her.”
“I say you astound me! Your suit rejected by Catherine! Yours? Can this be possible?”
“Possible as that I was nearly driven to despair by her rejection.”
Major Clifton threw his hand to his brow and gazed at the speaker in amazement, while he compared the claims of General Conyers with his own. General Conyers, with his haughty and powerful connection in town and country; his immense unincumbered estates; his high military rank; and last, not least, his eminently handsome person, accomplished mind, and graceful address;—General Conyers, in every social, official, and personal dignity, highly superior. And himself, with his limited circle; his debt-encumbered property; his medium post in the army; and his very moderate share of personal attraction, and he exclaimed again—
“Catherine reject you?”