FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   >>  
me?" Even now I do not know what made me speak, save that she was going. The very ticking of the clock was bringing the moment nearer, and there she was, staring at me, wide-eyed, half puzzled and half frightened. It seemed already as though she were further away. "Do you not see?" I said. "It is not like you not to understand. Nor is it very kind. How can I see you go and be glad? How can I be glad you love my father?" "Mon Dieu!" she exclaimed suddenly startled, "Your father! I care for your father!" I bowed in quick contrition. "Mademoiselle," I said, "I fear I have been very rude, and, as usual, very gauche. I beg you to forgive me." "But I tell you," she cried, "I do not love him!" I bowed again in silence. "You do not believe me?" "Mademoiselle may rest assured," I replied gently, "that I understand--perfectly." "You!" I started at her sudden vexation, started to find that her eyes were filled with tears. "You understand quite nothing! Never have I seen anyone so cruel, so stupid!" "Mademoiselle," I said, "I have been awkward, but forgive me--the cabin of the _Sea Tern_, where you asked him to sail on, and when you bade him recall what he said on the stairs at Blanzy.... Your pardon! I have been very blunt." And now she was regarding me with blank astonishment. "Surely he told you," she murmured, "Surely he told you what the Marquis had intended." Then she stopped, confused and silent. "Mon Dieu!" she exclaimed suddenly, "But he has told you nothing!" "No," I said dully, "He has been most discreet. But does it make any real difference, Mademoiselle, except that I know now that the Marquis was a man of very keen discrimination?" "Are you mad?" cried Mademoiselle, "I tell you it is not your father. I tell you I--" Her face had grown scarlet. She bowed her head, and tugged more violently than ever at the corner of her handkerchief. "Mademoiselle," I said unsteadily, "Mademoiselle, what was it he told you at Blanzy?" "I cannot tell you if you do not know," she answered, "Indeed I cannot." "But you will!" I cried. "You will, Mademoiselle! You must! Mademoiselle--" Her eyes had met mine again. "They were breaking in the door," she began, "and he was going down to meet them. I told him--I told him to go, to leave me, and take the paper. He said--" She paused again, watching me in vague embarrassment. "He said he'd be damned if he would, Monsieur. He said he w
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   >>  



Top keywords:
Mademoiselle
 

father

 

understand

 

suddenly

 

exclaimed

 
started
 
Surely
 

forgive

 
Marquis
 

Blanzy


paused

 

watching

 
discreet
 

difference

 
confused
 

murmured

 
damned
 
Monsieur
 

astonishment

 

intended


silent

 

stopped

 

embarrassment

 

violently

 

tugged

 

unsteadily

 

handkerchief

 

answered

 

corner

 

Indeed


discrimination

 
breaking
 

scarlet

 

startled

 

contrition

 
ticking
 

bringing

 
moment
 

puzzled

 
frightened

staring
 

nearer

 
gauche
 
stupid
 

awkward

 

pardon

 
stairs
 

recall

 
assured
 

replied