With Mr.Juxon at hand from year's end to year's end, the owner of the Hall, of the Billingsfield property and according to all appearances of other resources besides,--with such a man constantly devoted to her, could Mrs.
Goddard be expected to wait for poor John three years, even two years, from the time of the examination for the classical Tripos?
Nothing was more improbable, he was forced to admit.

And yet, the idea of life if he did not marry Mrs.Goddard was dismal beyond all expression; he would probably not survive it.

He did not know what he should do.

He shrank from the thought of declaring his love to her at once.

He remembered with pain that she had a terrible way of laughing at him when he grew confidential or too complimentary, and he dreaded lest at the supreme moment of his life he should appear ridiculous in her eyes--he, a mere undergraduate.