He allowed himself to be carried forward on the wave of his desire.
"How strange, how very strange it is," he said, "that you should have come to me about her just now.

I have been thinking every day of coming to you on the very same errand." "Ah!--you have noticed, too, that her health----" "I have noticed nothing the matter with her health, because there is nothing.

But, Mr.Melbury, I have seen your daughter several times by accident.

I have admired her infinitely, and I was coming to ask you if I may become better acquainted with her--pay my addresses to her ?" Melbury was looking down as he listened, and did not see the air of half-misgiving at his own rashness that spread over Fitzpiers's face as he made this declaration.
"You have--got to know her ?" said Melbury, a spell of dead silence having preceded his utterance, during which his emotion rose with almost visible effect.
"Yes," said Fitzpiers.
"And you wish to become better acquainted with her?
You mean with a view to marriage--of course that is what you mean ?" "Yes," said the young man.

"I mean, get acquainted with her, with a view to being her accepted lover; and if we suited each other, what would naturally follow." The timber-merchant was much surprised, and fairly agitated; his hand trembled as he laid by his walking-stick.