My belief is, Mr. Morton, they're as poor as job. That makes no
difference to me because I don't want it; but it makes no
difference to her neither! She's right, Mr. Morton. I'm not good
enough, and so I'll just cut it as far as Dillsborough is
concerned. You'll think of what I said of taking the land?"
Mr. Morton said much more to him, walking with him to the gate of
Chowton Farm. He assured him that the young lady might yet be won.
He had only, Morton said, to plead his case to her as well as he
had pleaded up at Bragton and he thought that she would be won. "I
couldn't speak out free to her,--not if it was to save the whole
place," said the unfortunate lover. But Morton still continued his
advice. As to leaving Chowton because a young lady refused him,
that would be unmanly--"There isn't a bit of a man left about me,"
said Larry weeping. Morton nevertheless went on. Time would cure
these wounds; but no time would give him back Chowton should he
once part with it. If he must leave the place for a time let him
put a caretaker on the farm, even though by doing so the loss might
be great. He should do anything rather than surrender his house. As
to buying the land himself, Morton would not talk about it in the
present circumstances. Then they parted at Chowton gate with many
expressions of friendship on each side.
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