If you've got any
charm it's quite unnatural. It's wholly acquired- or at least you've
tried hard to acquire it, living over here. I don't say you've
succeeded. It's a charm that I don't appreciate, anyway. Make yourself
useful in some way, and then we'll talk about it."
"Well, now, tell me what I shall do," said Ralph.
"Go right home, to begin with."
"Yes, I see. And then?"
"Take right hold of something."
"Well, now, what sort of thing?"
"Anything you please, so long as you take hold. Some new idea,
some big work."
"Is it very difficult to take hold?" Ralph enquired.
"Not if you put your heart into it."
"Ah, my heart," said Ralph. "If it depends upon my heart-!"
"Haven't you got a heart?"
"I had one a few days ago, but I've lost it since."
"You're not serious," Miss Stackpole remarked; "that's what's the
matter with you." But for all this, in a day or two, she again
permitted him to fix her attention and on the later occasion
assigned a different cause to her mysterious perversity.
"I know what's the matter with you, Mr. Touchett," she said. "You
think you're too good to get married."
"I thought so till I knew you, Miss Stackpole," Ralph answered; "and
then I suddenly changed my mind.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160