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A Damsel in Distress

Page 104

"Certainly."

"New York's one of the outlying suburbs."

Lord Marshmoreton relit his pipe. He had a feeling that they were

wandering from the point.

"It is quite impossible."

"I can't see it."

"Maud is so young."

"Your daughter could be nothing else."

"Too young to know her own mind," pursued Lord Marshmoreton,

resolutely crushing down a flutter of pleasure. There was no doubt

that this singularly agreeable man was making things very difficult

for him. It was disarming to discover that he was really capital

company--the best, indeed, that the earl could remember to have

discovered in the more recent period of his rather lonely life. "At

present, of course, she fancies that she is very much in love with

you . . . It is absurd!"

"You needn't tell me that," said George. Really, it was only the

fact that people seemed to go out of their way to call at his

cottage and tell him that Maud loved him that kept him from feeling

his cause perfectly hopeless. "It's incredible. It's a miracle."

"You are a romantic young man, and you no doubt for the moment

suppose that you are in love with her."

"No!" George was not going to allow a remark like that to pass

unchallenged. "You are wrong there. As far as I am concerned, there

is no question of its being momentary or supposititious or anything

of that kind. I am in love with your daughter. I was from the first

moment I saw her. I always shall be. She is the only girl in the

world!"

"Stuff and nonsense!"

"Not at all. Absolute, cold fact."

"You have known her so little time."

"Long enough."

Lord Marshmoreton sighed. "You are upsetting things terribly."

"Things are upsetting me terribly."

"You are causing a great deal of trouble and annoyance."

"So did Romeo."

"Eh?"

"I said--So did Romeo."

"I don't know anything about Romeo."

"As far as love is concerned, I begin where he left off."

"I wish I could persuade you to be sensible."

"That's just what I think I am."

"I wish I could get you to see my point of view."

"I do see your point of view. But dimly. You see, my own takes up

such a lot of the foreground."

There was a pause.

"Then I am afraid," said Lord Marshmoreton, "that we must leave

matters as they stand."

"Until they can be altered for the better."

"We will say no more about it now."

"Very well."

"But I must ask you to understand clearly that I shall have to do

everything in my power to stop what I look on as an unfortunate

entanglement."

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