"Hannah, yes, I believed that she was very happy in my company."

"In a word, you liked her, and you knew you were winning her liking! And

yet you had no intentions of any sort, you say; you meant nothing, you

admit, but to enjoy yourself! How, Mr. Brudenell, do you think it a

manly part for a gentleman to seek to win a poor girl's love merely for

his pastime?"

"Hannah, you are severe on me! Heaven knows I have never spoken one word

of love to Nora."

"'Never spoken one word!' What of that? What need of words? Are not

glances, are not tones, far more eloquent than words? With these glances

and tones you have a thousand times assured my young sister that you

love her, that you adore her, that you worship her!"

"Hannah, if my eyes spoke this language to Nora, they spoke Heaven's own

truth! There! I have told you more than I ever told her, for to her my

eyes only have spoken!" said the young man fervently.

"Of what were you talking with your heads so close together this

morning?" asked Hannah abruptly.

"How do I know? Of birds, of flowers, moonshine, or some such rubbish. I

was not heeding my words."

"No, your eyes were too busy! And now, Mr. Brudenell, I repeat my

question: Was yours a manly part--discoursing all this love to Nora, and

having no ultimate intentions?"

"Hannah, I never questioned my conscience upon that point; I was too

happy for such cross-examination."

"But now the question is forced upon you, Mr. Brudenell, and we must

have an answer now and here."

"Then, Hannah, I will answer truly! I love Nora; and if I were free to

marry, I would make her my wife to-morrow; but I am not; therefore I

have been wrong, and very wrong, to seek her society. I acted, however,

from want of thought, not from want of principle; I hope you will

believe that, Hannah."

"I do believe it, Mr. Brudenell."

"And now I put myself in your hands, Hannah! Direct me as you think

best; I will obey you. What shall I do?"

"See Nora no more; from this day absent yourself from our house."

He turned pale as death, reeled, and supported himself against the trunk

of a friendly tree.

Hannah looked at him, and from the bottom of her heart she pitied him;

for she knew what love was--loving Reuben.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024