Duly darning one evening, while Mary was away putting her boy to bed, Tom entered from his wine.
Him, with a combination of valour and judgment, she immediately attacked, acting upon a rule once laid down to Mary--"My dear, if you want to manage a man, speak to him after dinner." "Mr.Troubridge," said Miss Thornton.

"May I speak a few words to you on private affairs ?" "Madam," said Tom, drawing up a chair, "I am at your service night or day." "A younger woman," said Miss Thornton, "might feel some delicacy in saying what I am going to say.

But old age has its privileges, and so I hope to be forgiven." "Dear Miss Thornton," said Tom, "you must be going to say something very extraordinary if it requires forgiveness from me." "Nay, my dear kinsman," said Miss Thornton; "if we begin exchanging compliments, we shall talk all night, and never get to the gist of the matter after all.

Here is what I want to say.

It seems to me that your attentions to our poor Mary are somewhat more than cousinly, and it behoves me to remind you that she is still a married woman.