“Are you going back to town?”

“No — to Combe Magna.

I have business there; from thence to town in a day or two. Good bye.”

He held out his hand. She could not refuse to give him hers; — he pressed it with affection.

“And you DO think something better of me than you did?” — said he, letting it fall, and leaning against the mantel-piece as if forgetting he was to go.

Elinor assured him that she did; — that she forgave, pitied, wished him well — was even interested in his happiness — and added some gentle counsel as to the behaviour most likely to promote it. His answer was not very encouraging.