ThereforehestartedoffontheMondaymorningafterbreakfastandwalkedintoSilverbridge，andashewalkedhebuiltvariouscastlesintheair。WhyshouldnonotmarryGrace——ifshewouldhavehim——andtakeherawaybeyondthereachofherfather’scalamity？Whyshouldhenotthrowoverhisownpeoplealtogether，money，position，society，andall，andgivehimselfuptolove？Werehetodoso，menmightsaythathewasfoolish，butnoonecouldhintthathewasdishonourable。Hisspiritwashighenoughtoteachhimtothinkthatsuchconductonhispartwouldhaveinitsomethingofmagnificence；but，yet，suchwasnothispurpose。IngoingtoMissPrettymanitwashisintentiontoapologisefornotdoingthismagnificentthing。Hismindwasquitemadeup。
Neverthelesshebuiltcastlesintheair。
ItsohappenedthatheencounteredtheyoungerMissPrettymaninthehall。Itwouldnotatallhavesuitedhimtorevealtoherthepurportofhisvisit，oraskhertoassisthissuitorreceivehisapologies。
MissAnnePrettymanwastoocommonapersonageintheSilverbridgeworldtobefitforsuchemployment。MissAnnePrettymanwas，indeed，herselfsubmissivetohim，andtreatedhimwiththecourtesywhichisduetoasuperiorbeing。Hethereforesimplyaskedherwhetherhecouldbeallowedtoseehersister。
’Surely，MajorGrantly；——thatis，Ithinkso。Itisalittleearly，butIthinkshecanreceiveyou。’