FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144  
145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   >>   >|  
l her--O, what shall I do!' 'Never mind it,' said Christopher, a sense of the true state of her case dawning upon him with unpleasant distinctness, and bringing some irritation at his awkward position; though it was impossible to be long angry with a girl who had not reasoning foresight enough to perceive that doubtful pleasure and certain pain must be the result of any meeting whilst hearts were at cross purposes in this way. 'Where is your sister?' he asked. 'She wouldn't come down, unless she MUST,' said Picotee. 'You have vexed her, and she has a headache besides that, and I came instead.' 'So that I mightn't be wasted altogether. Well, it's a strange business between the three of us. I have heard of one-sided love, and reciprocal love, and all sorts, but this is my first experience of a concatenated affection. You follow me, I follow Ethelberta, and she follows--Heaven knows who!' 'Mr. Ladywell!' said the mortified Picotee. 'Good God, if I didn't think so!' said Christopher, feeling to the soles of his feet like a man in a legitimate drama. 'No, no, no!' said the frightened girl hastily. 'I am not sure it is Mr. Ladywell. That's altogether a mistake of mine!' 'Ah, yes, you want to screen her,' said Christopher, with a withering smile at the spot of light. 'Very sisterly, doubtless; but none of that will do for me. I am too old a bird by far--by very far! Now are you sure she does not love Ladywell?' 'Yes!' 'Well, perhaps I blame her wrongly. She may have some little good faith--a woman has, here and there. How do you know she does not love Ladywell?' 'Because she would prefer Mr. Neigh to him, any day.' 'Ha!' 'No, no--you mistake, sir--she doesn't love either at all--Ethelberta doesn't. I meant that she cannot love Mr. Ladywell because he stands lower in her opinion than Mr. Neigh, and him she certainly does not care for. She only loves you. If you only knew how true she is you wouldn't be so suspicious about her, and I wish I had not come here--yes, I do!' 'I cannot tell what to think of it. Perhaps I don't know much of this world after all, or what girls will do. But you don't excuse her to me, Picotee.' Before this time Picotee had been simulating haste in getting a light; but in her dread of appearing visibly to Christopher's eyes, and showing him the precise condition of her tear-stained face, she put it off moment after moment, and stirred the fire, in hope t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144  
145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Ladywell
 

Picotee

 

Christopher

 

mistake

 

Ethelberta

 
altogether
 
follow
 

wouldn

 
moment
 

visibly


appearing

 

showing

 
wrongly
 

stirred

 
sisterly
 

doubtless

 
condition
 
stained
 

precise

 

simulating


Perhaps

 

opinion

 

stands

 

withering

 

suspicious

 

Because

 

prefer

 

Before

 

excuse

 

result


meeting

 
whilst
 

perceive

 

doubtful

 

pleasure

 
hearts
 

sister

 
purposes
 

foresight

 
reasoning

dawning
 

unpleasant

 
distinctness
 
impossible
 

position

 

bringing

 
irritation
 

awkward

 
feeling
 

Heaven