“He has not been to propose for Helen’s hand?”
“Indeed, but he has.”
“How unfortunate! I did not know that matters had gone so far as that?”
“Nor I neither. I knew she was flirting a bit, confound her. Did you meet him?”
“Yes, and he would not speak. I saw something was wrong from his savage manner.”
“Perhaps he thought you had come up to propose, eh? Had you?”
“Not exactly,” said the Resident, looking very serious.
“Because if you had, you ought to have come before,” said Mr Perowne, biting his nails.
“I came to remonstrate with Helen, after seeing Mrs Bolter this morning.”
“Hang Mrs Bolter for a meddling little fool,” cried the merchant.