world, to stand by your side till it
crumbles away, yes, for eternity itself. Oh! Arthur, do not laugh at
what I say. I am, indeed, only a simple girl, but, as I told you last
night, there is something stirring in me now, my real life, my eternal
part, something that you have awakened, and with which you have to
deal, something apart from the _me_ you see before you. As I speak, I
feel and know that when we are dead and gone, I shall love you still;
when more ages have passed than there are leaves upon that tree, I
shall love you still. Arthur, I am yours for ever, for the time that
is, and is to be."
She spoke with the grand freedom of one inspired, nay, he felt that
she was inspired, and the same feeling of awe that had come upon him
when he first saw her face, again took possession of him. Taking her
hand, he kissed it.
"Dearest," he said, "dearest Angela, who am I that you should love me
so? What have I done that such a treasure should be given to me? I
hope that it may be as you say!"
"It will be as I say," she answered, as she bent to kiss him. And they
went on in silence.
CHAPTER XXIX
Philip arrived home about one o'clock on the Monday, and, after their
nursery dinner, Arthur made his way to the study, and soon found
himself in the dread presence--for what presence is more dread (most
people would rather face a chief-justice with the gout)--of the man
whose daughter he was about to ask in marriage.
Philip, whom he found seated by a tray, the contents of which he
seemed in no humour to touch, received him with his customary
politeness, saying, with a smile, that he hoped he had not come to
tell him that he was sick of the place and its inhabitants, and was
going away.
"Far from it, Mr. Caresfoot, I come to speak to you on a very
different subject."
Philip glanced up with a quick look of expectant curiosity, but said
nothing.
"In short," said Arthur, desperately, "I come to ask you to sanction
my engagement to Angela."
A pause--a very awkward pause--ensued.
"You are, then, engaged to my daughter?"
"Subject to your consent, I am."
Then came another pause.
"You will understand me, Heigham, when I say that you take me rather
by surprise in this business. Your acquaintance with her has been
short."
"That is true, but I have seen a great deal of her."
"Perhaps; but she knows absolutely nothing of the world, and her
preference for you--for, as you
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