Harry called early, and was informed that the colonel was not at home.  
"Something's the matter, Mr. Armstrong," said Beeves. "Master's not at home to you to-day, he says, nor any other day till he countermands the order—that was the word, sir. I'm sure I am very sorry, sir."
 
"So am I," said Harry. "How's your mistress?"
 
"Haven't seen her to-day, sir. Emma says she's poorly. But she is down. Emma looks as if she knew something and wouldn't tell it. I'll get it out of her though, sir. We'll be having that old Wade coming about the house again, I'm afeard, sir. He's no good."
 
"At all events you will let your master know that I have called," said
Harry, as he turned disconsolately, to take his departure.
"That I will, sir. And I'll be sure he hears me. He's rather deaf, sometimes, you know, sir."
 
"Thank you, Beeves. Good morning."
 
Now what could have been Harry's intention in calling upon the colonel? Why, as he had said himself, to make an apology. But what kind of apology could he make? Clearly there was only one that would satisfy all parties—and that must be in the form of a request to be allowed to pay his addresses—(that used to be the phrase in my time—I don't know the young ladies' slang for it now-a-days)—to Adela. Did I say—satisfy all parties? This was just the one form affairs might take, which would least of all satisfy the colonel. I believe, with all his rigid proprieties, he would have preferred the confession that the doctor had so far forgotten himself as to attempt to snatch a kiss—a theft of which I cannot imagine a gentleman guilty, least of all a doctor from his patient; which relation no doubt the colonel persisted in regarding as the sole possible and everlastingly permanent one between Adela and Harry. The former was, however, the only apology Harry could make; and evidently the colonel expected it when he refused to see him.
 
But why should he refuse to see him?—The doctor was not on an equality with the colonel. Well, to borrow a form from the Shorter Catechism: wherein consisted the difference between the colonel and the doctor?—The difference between the colonel and the doctor consisted chiefly in this, that whereas the colonel lived by the wits of his ancestors, Harry lived by his own, and therefore was not so respectable as the colonel. Or in other words: the colonel inherited a good estate, with the ordinary quantity of brains; while Harry inherited a good education and an extraordinary quantity of brains. So of course it was very presumptuous in Harry to aspire to the hand of Miss Cathcart.
 
In the forenoon the curate called upon me, and was shown into the library where I was.
 
"What's that scapegrace brother of mine been doing, Smith?" he asked, the moment he entered.
 
"Wanting to marry Adela," I replied.
 
"What has he done?"
 
"Called this morning."
 
"And seen Colonel Cathcart?"
 
"No."
 
"Not at home?"
 
"In a social sense, not at home; in a moral sense, very far from at home; in a natural sense, seated in his own arm-chair, with his own work on the Peninsular War open on the table before him."
 
"Wouldn't see him?"
 
"No."
 
"What's he to do then?"
 
"I think we had better leave that to him. Harry is not the man I take him for if he doesn't know his own way better than you or I can tell him."
 
"You're right, Smith. How's Miss Cathcart?"
 
"I have never seen her so well. Certainly she did not come down to breakfast, but I believe that was merely from shyness. She appeared in the dining-room directly after, and although it was evident she had been crying, her step was as light and her colour as fresh as her lover even could wish to see them."
 
"Then she is not without hope in the matter?"
 
"If she loves him, and I think she does, she is not without hope. But I do not think the fact of her looking well would be sufficient to prove t............