foundation existed in fact; he admitted that at times the idea of substituting Marion for Lydia as an object of affectionate regard had possessed him speculatively; it had appealed to him at various moments by reason perhaps of its superior availability. At other times this had seemed a sufficient reason for its rejection; and then he had only to imagine the positive yes with which, if Marion were well disposed, she would accept a proposal of marriage,—and the very idea was unpleasant. Even when he had been most hospitably and considerately inclined towards it, he believed that the idea had for him mainly the value of a lay figure, on which he occasionally gave himself the pleasure of disposing and arranging at their best his most virtuous and domesticated sentiments; he believed that his interest was devoted to these trappings, which were his own possession, and to making a good show of them, rather than to the figure which all unawares participated in the display. He believed that he was exercising and airing his agreeable sentiments just as one might at intervals wear a long-folded suit of clothes merely to keep it always fresh.
He was disturbed to think that he could have recklessly intimated an interest in a girl when he had so cynical a conception of the depth and permanence of his feeling for her. It was almost as if he had committed himself by an insincere avowal of affection. It annoyed and perplexed him to think how naturally and spontaneously, in response to his grandfather's pressure, Marion's name had rushed to his lips.
After all, Floyd was destined to escape without further awkwardness from the difficulty of the situation which he had created. Colonel Halket made only one reference to Marion after the conversation which has been described. This was two days later, when he remarked that he thought Floyd was spending too much time at home with him and was neglecting somebody more interesting. "There is n't a great deal more time," he added. "I hope you
