"Yes. And quickly. Young girls are sometimes dazzled by men of his sort. And Per--Miss Wynter ... Look here, Curzon," breaking off hurriedly. "This is _your_ affair, you know. You are her guardian. You should see to it."
"That would be fatal. She is just the sort of girl to say 'Yes' to him because she was told to say 'No.'"
"You seem to have studied her," says the professor quietly.
"Well, I confess I have seen a good deal of her of late."
"And to some purpose. Your knowledge of her should lead you to making a way out of this difficulty."
"I have thought of one," says Hardinge boldly, yet with a quick flush. "You are her guardian. Why not arrange another marriage for her, before this affair with Sir Hastings goes too far."
"There are two parties to a marriage," says the professor, his tone always very low. "Who is it to whom you propose to marry Miss Wynter?"
Hardinge, getting up, moves abruptly to the window and back again.
"You have known me a long time, Curzon," says he at last. "You--you have been my friend. I have family--position--money--I----"
"I am to understand, then, that _you_ are a candidate for the hand of my ward," says the professor slowly, so slowly that it might suggest itself to a disinterested listener that he has great difficulty in speaking at all.
"Yes," says Hardinge, very diffidently. He looks appealingly at the professor. "I know perfectly well she might do a great deal better," says he, with a modesty that sits very charmingly upon him. "But if it comes to a choice between me and your brother, I--I think I am the better man. By Jove, Curzon," growing hot, "it's awfully rude of me, I know, but it is so hard to remember that he _is_ your brother."
But the professor does not seem offended. He seems, indeed, so entirely unimpressed by Hardinge's last remark, that it may reasonably be supposed he hasn't heard a word of it.
"And she?" says he. "Perpetua. Does she----" He hesitates as if finding it impossible to go on.
"Oh! I don't know," says the younger man, with a rather rueful smile. "Sometimes I think she doesn't care for me more than she does for the veriest stranger amongst her acquaintances, and sometimes----" expressive pause.
"Well--friendly. More friendly than she is to others. Last night she let me sit out three waltzes with her, and, she only sat out one with your brother."