An Old Man's Love

Mr Gordon had gone out to South Africa with the settled intention of doing something that might enable him to marry Mary Lawrie, and he had carried his purpose through with a manly resolution.

Diamond work framed as marriage capital before confrontation — plot as earned claim vs guardian claim — so plot scores 84.

Mr William Whittlestaff was strolling very slowly up and down the long walk at his country seat in Hampshire, thinking of the contents of a letter which he held crushed up within his trousers' pocket.

Master named by crushed letter before ward appears — cast as solitary worry — so cast scores 86.

"I don't think that if I were you I would go up to London, Mr Whittlestaff," said Mary. This was on the Tuesday morning. "Why not?" "I don't think I would." "Why should you interfere?"

Guessed journey stalls as dialogue of interference — serial delay inside conscience plot — so pace scores 83.

He took her up to his bedroom, and there said a final word to her. "Give him my love." "Oh, my darling! you have made me so happy." "You will find me better when you come back, though I shall never cease to regret all that I have lost."

Blessing and lifelong regret in three spoken beats — renunciation as compressed late style — so prose scores 85.

He was very well off;--that is to say, that with so many thousands a year, he managed to live upon half. This he had done for very many years, because the estate was entailed on a distant relative, and because he had not chosen to leave his children paupers.

Entail half-living as neighbor ethic — Hampshire world as careful money — so world scores 82.

Mr Whittlestaff had got through his second cup of tea, and was stranded in his chair, having nothing to do, with the empty cup and plates before him for the space of two minutes.

Empty cup before letter contents — domestic idle as suspense — so hook scores 85.

You will find me better when you come back, though I shall never cease to regret all that I have lost.

Old man's love ends as permanent regret without melodrama duel — quiet renunciation as late form — so innov scores 84.

When October had come round, he was present at Mary's marriage, and certainly did not carry himself then with any show of outward joy. He was moody and silent, and, as some said, almost uncourteous to John Gordon.

Present at wedding yet uncourteous — ending as unfinished feeling after plot yield — so ending scores 86.