“Will you walk beside me, Mr. Wrayburn, and not touch me?” For, his arm was already stealing round her waist.

She stopped again, and gave him an earnest supplicating look. “Well, Lizzie, well!” said he, in an easy way though ill at ease with himself “don’t be unhappy, don’t be reproachful.”

“I cannot help being unhappy, but I do not mean to be reproachful. Mr. Wrayburn, I implore you to go away from this neighbourhood, tomorrow morning.”

“Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie!” he remonstrated. “As well be reproachful as wholly unreasonable. I can’t go away.”

“Why not?”