"Wants me to marry him."
"Is that unreasonable?"
"Yes! till things are ready for such a step, and I am ready."
"What things?"
"Dolly, he is only the first officer of his ship. He was distinguished in the last war, and he has the prospect of promotion. I don't want to marry him till he is a captain."
"Why?" said Dolly.
"Why?—Don't you understand? He would have a better position then, and better pay; and could give me a better time generally; and mamma thinks we ought to wait. And I like waiting. It's better fun, I do think, to be engaged than to be married. I know I shouldn't have my head near so much if I was married to Sandie. I do just as I like now; for mamma and I are always of a mind."
"And are not you and Mr. Shubrick of a mind?"
"Not about this," said Christina, getting up from the hearth, and laughing.
"Pray, if one may ask, how long have you and he been waiting already?"