按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
communication with Nugent at this moment？〃
I stopped him thereI could not endure it。 〃You have seen your brother；〃
I said。 〃You have told me that you and he understand each other。 What
have you to dread after that？〃
〃I have to dread Madame Pratolungo's influence； and my brother's
infatuation for you；〃 he answered。 〃The promises which he has honestly
made to me； are promises which I cannot depend on when my back is turned；
and when Madame Pratolungo may be with him in my absence。 Something under
the surface is going on already！ I don't like that mysterious letter；
which is only to be shown to you on certain conditions。 I don't like your
father's silence。 He has had time to answer your letter。 Has he done it？
He has had time to answer my postscript。 Has he done it？〃
Those were awkward questions。 He had certainly left both our letters
unansweredthus far。 Still； the next post might bring his reply。 I
persisted in taking this view； and I said so to Oscar。 He persisted just
as obstinately on his side。
〃Suppose we go on to the end of the week；〃 he said； 〃and still no letter
from your father comes； for you； or for me？ Will you admit； _then；_ that
his silence is suspicious？〃
〃I will admit that his silence shows a sad want of proper consideration
for _you；_〃 I replied。
〃And there you will stop？ You won't see （what I see） the influence of
Madame Pratolungo making itself felt at the rectory； and poisoning your
father's mind against our marriage？〃
He was pressing me rather hardly。 I did my best； however； to tell him
honestly what was passing in my mind。
〃I can see；〃 I said； 〃that Madame Pratolungo has behaved most cruelly to
you。 And I believe； after what you have told me； that she would rejoice
if I broke my engagement； and married your brother。 But I can _not_
understand that she is mad enough to be actually plotting to make me do
it。 Nobody knows better than she does how faithfully I love you； and how
hopeless it would be to attempt to make me marry another man。 Would the
stupidest woman living； who looked at you two brothers （knowing what she
knows）； be stupid enough to do what you suspect Madame Pratolungo of
doing？〃
I thought this unanswerable。 He had his reply to it ready； for all that。
〃If you had seen more of the world； Lucilla；〃 he said； 〃you would know
that a true love like yours is a mystery to a woman like Madame
Pratolungo。 She doesn't believe in itshe doesn't understand it。 She
knows herself to be capable of breaking any engagement； if the
circumstances encouraged herand she estimates your fidelity by her
knowledge of her own nature。 There is nothing in her experience of you；
or in her knowledge of my brother's disfigurement； to discourage such a
woman from scheming to part us。 She has seen for herselfwhat you have
already told methat you have got over your first aversion to him。 She
knows that women as charming as you are； have over and over again married
men far more personally repulsive than my brother。 Lucilla！ something
which is not to be out…argued； and not to be contradicted； tells me that
her return to England will be fatal to my hopes； if that return finds you
and me with no closer tie between us than the tie that binds us now。 Are
these fanciful apprehensions； unworthy of a man？ My darling！ worthy or
not worthy； you ought to make allowances for them。 They are apprehensions
inspired by my love for You！〃
Under those circumstances； I could make every allowance for himand I
said so。 He moved nearer to me； and put his arm round me。
〃Are we not engaged to each other to be man and wife？〃 he whispered。
〃Yes。〃
〃Are we not both of age； and both free to do as we like？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Would you relieve me from the anxieties under which I am suffering； if
you could？〃
〃You know I would！〃
〃You _can_ relieve me。〃
〃How？〃
〃By giving me a husband's claim to you； Lucillaby consenting to marry
me in London； in a fortnight's time。
I started back； and looked at him in amazement。 For the moment； I was
incapable of answering in any other way than that。
〃I ask you to do nothing unworthy of you；〃 he said。 〃I have spoken to a
relative of mine living near Londona married ladywhose house is open
to you in the interval before our wedding day。 When your visit has been
prolonged over a fortnight only； we can be married。 Write home by all
means to prevent them from feeling anxious about you。 Tell them that you
are safe and happy； and under responsible and respectable carebut say
no more。 As long as it is possible for Madame Pratolungo to make mischief
between us； conceal the place in which you are living。 The instant we are
married reveal everything。 Let all your friendslet all the world know
that we are man and wife！〃
His arm trembled round me； his face flushed deep； his eyes devoured me。
Some women； in my place； might have been offended； others might have been
flattered。 As for meI can trust the secret to these pagesI was
frightened。
〃Is it an elopement that you are proposing to me？〃 I asked。
〃An elopement！〃 he repeated。 〃Between two engaged people who have only
themselves to think of。〃
〃I have my father to think of； and my aunt to think of；〃 I said。 〃You are
proposing to me to run away from them； and to keep in hiding from them！〃
〃I am asking you to pay a fortnight's visit at the house of a married
ladyand to keep the knowledge of that visit from the ears of the worst
enemy you have； until you have become my wife；〃 he answered。 〃Is there
anything so very terrible in my request that you should turn pale at it；
and look at me in that frightened way？ Have I not courted you with your
father's consent？ Am I not your promised husband？ Are we not free to
decide for ourselves？ There is literally no reasonif it could be
donewhy we should not be married to…morrow。 And you still hesitate？
Lucilla！ Lucilla！ you force me to own the doubt that has made me
miserable ever since I have been here。 Are you indeed as changed towards
me as you seem？ Do you really no longer love me as you once loved me in
the days that are gone？〃
He rose； and walked away a few paces； leaning over the parapet with his
face in his hands。
I sat alone； not knowing what to say or do。 The uneasy sense in me that
he had reason to complain of my treating him coldly； was not to be
dismissed from my mind by any effort that I could make。 He had no right
to expect me to take the step which he had proposedthere were
objections to it which any woman would have felt in my place。 Still；
though I was satisfied of this； there was an obstinate something in me
which would take his part。 It could not have been my conscience surely
which said to me'There was a time when his entreaties would have
prevailed on you； there was a time when you would not have hesitated as
you are hesitating now？'
Whatever the influence was； it moved me to rise from my seat； and to join
him at the parapet。
〃You cannot expect me to decide on such a serious matter as this at
once；〃 I said。 〃Will you give me a little time to think？〃
〃You are your own mistress；〃 he rejoined bitterly。 Why ask me to give you
time？ You can take any time you pleaseyou can do as you like。