"It's a very rough world to live in," he
said to himself in these days, as he thought of his difficulties.
But when he had been nearly a week at the deanery, and when the day of his
going was so near as to be a matter of concern, his sister did at last
venture to say a word about Lucy. "I suppose there is nothing settled
about your own marriage, Frank?"
"Nothing at all."
"Nor will be for some while?"
"Nor will be for some while." This he said in a tone which he himself felt
to be ill-humoured and almost petulant. And he felt also that such ill-
humour on such a subject was unkind, not to his sister, but to Lucy. It
seemed to imply that the matter of his marriage was distasteful to him.
"The truth is," he said, "that nothing can be fixed. Lucy understands that
as well as I do. I am not in a position at once to marry a girl who has
nothing. It's a pity, perhaps, that one can't train one's self to like
some girl best that has got money; but as I haven't, there must be some
delay. She is to stay where she is, at any rate for a twelvemonth."
"But you mean to see her?"
"Well, yes; I hardly know how I can see her, as I have quarrelled to the
knife with Lord Fawn; and Lord Fawn is recognised by his mother and sister
as the one living Jupiter upon earth.
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