 pang of jealousy shot across his
bosom and he began to believe with pride that he was not only in love but
desperately in love, or he should never feel so jealous - nevertheless, day
after day still went by, and he did not propose.
    The Allabys behaved with great judgement - they humoured him till his
retreat was practically cut off though he still flattered himself that it was
open. One day about six months after Theobald had become an almost daily visitor
at the rectory the conversation happened to turn upon long engagements. »I don't
like long engagements, Mr. Allaby - do you?« said Theobald imprudently. »No,«
said Mr. Allaby in a pointed tone, »nor long courtships,« and he gave Theobald a
look which he could not pretend to misunderstand. He went back to Cambridge as
fast as he could go, and in dread of the conversation with Mr. Allaby which he
felt to be impending, composed the following letter which he dispatched that
same afternoon by a private messenger to Crampsford. The letter was as follows -
 
        »Dearest Miss Christina, I do not know whether you have guessed the
        feelings that I have long entertained for you - feelings which I have
        concealed as much as I could through fear of drawing you into an
        engagement which if you enter into it must be prolonged for a
        considerable time, but however this may be it is out of my power to
        conceal them longer; I love you, ardently, devotedly, and send these few
        lines asking you to be my wife because I dare not trust my tongue to
        give adequate expression to the magnitude of my affection for you.
            I cannot pretend to offer you a heart which has never known either
        love or disappointment. I have loved already and my heart was years in
        recovering from the grief I felt at seeing her become another's. That
        however is over, and having seen yourself I rejoice over a
        disappointment which I thought at one time would have been fatal to me.
        It has left me a less ardent lover than I should perhaps otherwise have
        been, but it has increased tenfold my power of appreciating your many
        charms and my desire that you should become my wife. Please let me have
        a few lines of answer by the bearer to let me know whether or not my
        suit is accepted; if you accept me I will at once come and talk the
        matter over with Mr. and Mrs. Allaby whom I shall hope one day to be
        allowed to call father and mother.
            I ought to warn you that in the event of your consenting to be my
        wife it
