'No,' said he. 'No.'
'But he meant to be!' said I.
'How did you find out that?' he returned, with a smile.
'Why, Guardian,' I explained, not without reddening a little at hazarding what was in my thoughts, 'there is something so tender in his manner, after all, and he is so very courtly and gentle to us, and—'
Mr. Jarndyce directed his eyes to where he was sitting, as I have just described him.
I said no more.
'You are right, little woman,' he answered. 'He was all but married, once. Long ago. And once.'
'Did the lady die?'
'No – but she died to him. That time has had its influence on all his later life. Would you suppose him to have a head and a heart full of romance yet?'
'I think, Guardian, I might have supposed so. But it is easy to say that, when you have told me so.'
'He has never since been what he might have been,' said Mr. Jarndyce, 'and now you see him in his age with no one near him but his servant, and his little yellow friend. – It's your throw, my dear!'
I felt, from my Guardian's manner, that beyond this point I could not pursue the subject without changing the wind. I therefore forbore to ask any further questions. I was interested, but not curious. I thought a little while about this old love story in the night, when I was awakened by Mr. Boy-thorn's lusty snoring; and I tried to do that very difficult thing, imagine old people young again, and invested with the graces of youth. But I fell asleep before I had succeeded, and dreamed of the days when I lived in my godmother's house. I am not sufficiently acquainted with such subjects to know whether it is at all remarkable that I almost always dreamed of that period of my life.
With the morning, there came a letter from Messrs. Kenge and Carboy to Mr. Boythorn, informing him that one of their clerks would wait upon him at noon. As it was the day of the week on which I paid the bills, and added up my books, and made all the household affairs as compact as possible, I remained at home while Mr. Jarndyce, Ada, and Richard, took advantage of a very fine day to make a little excursion. Mr. Boy thorn was to wait for Kenge and Carboy's clerk, and then was to go on foot to meet them on their return.
Well! I was full of business, examining tradesmen's books, adding up columns, paying money, filing receipts, and I dare say making a great bustle about it, when Mr. Guppy was announced and shown in. I had had some idea that the clerk who was to be sent down, might be the young gentleman who had met me at the coach-office; and I was glad to see him, because he was associated with my present happiness.