He had to look another way, and then she even smiled, a
little forlornly.
"Do you mind talking it over with me, Grizel?" he asked. "I have
always been well aware that you did not care for me in that way, but
nevertheless I believe you might do worse."
"No woman could do better," she answered gravely. "I should like you
to talk it over, David, if you begin at the beginning"; and she sat
down with her hands crossed.
"I won't say what a good thing it would be for me," was his beginning;
"we may take that for granted."
"I don't think we can," she remarked; "but it scarcely matters at
present. That is not the beginning, David."
He was very anxious to make it the beginning.
"I am weary of living in lodgings," he said. "The practice suffers by
my not being married. Many patients dislike being attended by a single
man. I ought to be in McQueen's house; it has been so long known as
the doctor's house. And you should be a doctor's wife--you who could
almost be the doctor. It would be a shame, Grizel, if you who are so
much to patients were to marry out of the profession. Don't you follow
me?"
"I follow you," she replied; "but what does it matter? You have not
begun at the beginning.
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