s she--?" And she hesitated to ask whether the lady were dead, or
married to some one else. It might, after all, only be a lovers'
quarrel.

"I drove her from me--and now she is a wife."

"Drove her from you! Alas! alas!" said Mrs. Cox, with the sweetest
emphasis of sympathy. But the result of her inquiries was not
unsatisfactory to her.

"I don't know why I should have told you this," said he.

"I am so glad you have," she replied.

"But now that I have told you--"

"Well--"

"Now may I call you Annie?"

"You have done so two or three times."

"But may I?"

"If it please you, you may." And the words, though whispered very
low, fell clearly upon his ear.

"Dearest Annie!"

"But I did not say you might call me that."

"But you are."

"Am I?"

"Dearest--all but she. Will that make you angry with me?"

"No, not angry; but--"

"But what?"

She looked up at him, pouting with her lip. There was a half-smile
on her mouth, and half a tear in her eyes; and her shoulder leant
against him, and her heart palpitated. She had never been so
beautiful, never so attractive.

"But what--? What would you say, Annie?"

"I would say this.--But I know you will think me very bold."

"I shall not think you too bold if you will say the truth."

"Then I would say this--that if I loved a man, I could love him quite
as fondly as she loved you."

"Could you, Annie?"

"I could. But he should not drive me from him, as you say you did
her; never--never--never. He might kill me if he would; but if I once
had told him that I loved him, I would never leave him afterwards."

"Tell me so, Annie."

"No, Mr. Bertram. We have not known each other long enough." And now
she took her hand from his arm, and let it drop by her side.

"Tell me so, dear Annie," he repeated; and he tried to regain her
hand.

"There is the luncheon-bell; and since Mr. Wilkinson won't go to Mrs.
Price, I must do so."

"Shall I go?" said he.

"Do; I will go down by myself."

"But you love me, Annie?--say that you love me."

"Nonsense. Here is that fellow, Biffin. Do you go for Mrs.
Price--leave me to myself."

"Don't go down stairs with him."

"You may be sure I won't--nor with you either this morning. I am half
inclined to be angry with you." And so saying, she moved away.

"Ah, me! what have I done!" said Bertram to himself, as he went upon
his mission. "But she is a sweet creature; as beautiful as Hebe; and
why should I be wretched f