FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   >>  
Oh! That!" "Yes. That is one question, supreme to me, about which I wish to have your views. Do you think you would be happier or unhappier,--if you were married?" "That is a question. It would depend upon--my husband, would it not?" "Suppose that we were----" "Don't call names, please. I couldn't suppose such a thing. I have promised not to." "Promised not to, I don't understand?" "I mean that I have made a bet. You don't think I am horrid to bet, do you? Of course you don't. Well, I have made a curious bet with Bob, Mr. Mitchel, you know. I call him Bob now, and I used to do it sometimes before. That was when I wanted him to do anything for me. It made him feel like one of the family. Well, to tell you about my bet. You see, sometimes, when Emily was out, Bob would play make love to me. He said it would be good practice for me; would teach me the ways of the world and all that sort of thing. Oh! Bob is a curious man, but he is great sport. Don't you like him?" "Immensely. But you have not told me yet about your bet." "I am coming to it. Well, one day when he was making love to me, and I was doing my best, suddenly he burst out laughing, and said: 'Dora, I'll bet you'll be engaged within six months of our marriage.' 'How much?' said I. 'As much as you like,' said he. I asked him if he would make it a thousand dollars, and he whistled and called me a little gambler. But I don't think it was gambling, because I was to have a certainty. Of course I wanted the stake to be a large one. So it was agreed, and he wrote it down on paper. I'll show it to you sometime if you like. If I am not engaged before the 1st of January, Bob will have to pay me a thousand dollars." "And you mean to win that bet?" "Indeed I do. I am young and can afford to wait that long, I am sure. There will be time enough afterwards to get a husband." "Then it would not make any difference how anxious a suitor might be to have his reply at once?" "No, certainly not. If a man did not love me enough to wait a few months for his answer I should think myself well rid of him. Besides it would give me a chance to study him." "Suppose--but no--I do ask you. Miss Dora--Dora--I love you madly, passionately, and----" "Well, don't say any more. If that is true, and you love me madly, passionately, why then you will surely wait till January for your answer." This was said rather curtly, and Mr. Thauret's hopes sank, but rose again to
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   >>  



Top keywords:
curious
 

engaged

 

wanted

 
answer
 

months

 

January

 

husband

 

Suppose

 

dollars


thousand

 

passionately

 
question
 

difference

 
agreed
 
Indeed
 

afford

 

surely

 

curtly


Thauret

 

anxious

 

suitor

 

Besides

 

chance

 

Immensely

 

Mitchel

 
horrid
 

promised


Promised

 

understand

 

family

 

suppose

 

happier

 
supreme
 

unhappier

 

couldn

 

married


depend

 

practice

 

marriage

 

whistled

 
certainty
 
gambling
 

gambler

 

called

 

laughing


suddenly
 

making

 
coming