When in making his proposal he had spoken of her as being a widow, she had said, "Would to God that I were!" She had said it with such vehemence that he had felt sure that if she had indeed been a widow her answer to himself would have been favourable.

Men easily retain such impressions received in moments of great excitement, and found hopes upon them.
So the days had gone by and the squire had thought much but had come to no conclusion.

On the morning when Walter Goddard crept into the disused vault at the back of the church, the squire awoke from his sleep at his usual early hour.

He was not in a very good humour, if so equable a man could be said to be subject to such weaknesses as humours.

The weather was very depressing--day after day brought only more rain, more wind, more mud, more of everything disagreeable.