But I confess I'm afraid of
you."
"Afraid I'll begin again? I promise to be very careful."
They had gradually stopped and they stood a moment face to face.
"Poor Lord Warburton!" she said with a compassion intended to be
good for both of them.
"Poor Lord Warburton indeed! But I'll be careful."
"You may be unhappy, but you shall not make me so. That I can't
allow."
"If I believed I could make you unhappy I think I should try it." At
this she walked in advance and he also proceeded. "I'll never say a
word to displease you."
"Very good. If you do, our friendship's at an end."
"Perhaps some day- after a while- you'll give me leave."
"Give you leave to make me unhappy?"
He hesitated. "To tell you again-" But he checked himself. "I'll
keep it down. I'll keep it down always."
Ralph Touchett had been joined in his visit to the excavation by
Miss Stackpole and her attendant, and these three now emerged from
among the mounds of earth and stone collected round the aperture and
came into sight of Isabel and her companion. Poor Ralph hailed his
friend with joy qualified by wonder, and Henrietta exclaimed in a high
voice "Gracious, there's that lord!" Ralph and his English neighbour
greeted with the austerity with which, after long separation,
English neighbours greet, and Miss Stackpole rested her large
intellectual gaze upon the sunburnt traveller.
Pages:
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513