When is it to be?"
"I say next week," cried Charlie.
"Next week, indeed," hastily rejoined Emily. "I could not think of such a
thing--so abrupt."
"So abrupt," repeated Charlie, with a laugh. "Why, haven't I been courting
you ever since I wore roundabouts, and hasn't everybody been expecting us
to be married every week within the last two years. Fie, Em, it's anything
but abrupt."
Emily blushed still deeper, and looked out of the window, down the street
and up the street, but did not find anything in the prospect at either side
that at all assisted her to come to a decision, so she only became more
confused and stared the harder; at last she ventured to suggest that day
two months.
"This day two months--outrageous!" said Charlie. "Come here, dear old Ess,
and help me to convince this deluded girl of the preposterous manner in
which she is conducting herself."
"I must join her side if you _will_ bring me into the discussion. I think
she is right, Charlie--there is so much to be done: the house to procure
and furnish, and numberless other things that you hasty and absurd men know
nothing about."
By dint of strong persuasion from Charlie, Emily finally consented to abate
two weeks of the time, and they decided that a family council should be
held that evening at Mrs.
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