Part 19 (1/2)
”Yes.”
”On your honour as a man, is that true?”
”Yes.”
Then she took his right hand in her two hands, and held it tightly.
”Gentlemen--listen to me, please;” and she spoke with feverish resolution. ”This is not perhaps an opportune moment for making the announcement--but I want you to know, I want all my friends to know without further delay that Mr. Marsden and I are engaged to be married.”
Silence like a dead weight seemed to fall upon the room.
Enid had uttered a half-stifled exclamation of horror, but blank amazement rendered the guests dumb. Mr. Prentice, who had become apoplectically red, opened and shut his mouth; but no sound issued from it. Mr. Mears, with bowed head and heavily hanging arms, stared at the carpet. Gradually every eye sank, and all were staring downwards--as if unable to support the sight of the couple who stood hand in hand before them.
At last Mr. Ridgway tried to say something; and then Mr. Fentiman feebly echoed his words.
”You have taken our breath away, madam. But it behoves us to--ah--congratu--to felicitate.”
”Or to proffer our good wishes.”
”And our best hopes.”
But Mrs. Thompson did not look at them or listen to them. Marsden was speaking to her in a low voice.
”Yes, yes, yes. Every word. Every word. I meant all I said then--and I mean it a thousand times more now. You are making me the proudest of mortals--but don't forget one thing.”
”What?”
”Why, all I said about the difficulties--the, the inequality of our position, which must somehow be got rid of. But of course you've thought it out.”
”What do you mean?” She was gazing at him with love and admiration; but an intense anxiety came into her eyes.
”Well, I mean exactly what I said then. Nothing can change my mind. But, as I told you, I can't have all the world pointing at me as a penniless adventurer who has caught a rich wife.... But you've planned--you mean to prevent--”
His eyes did not meet hers. She dropped his hand, and looked at him now with a pa.s.sionate, yearning intentness.
”Go on--quickly. Say what it is that you mean.”
”I mean, it is to be a thorough partners.h.i.+p--husband and wife on an equal footing. You mean it, too, don't you? Partners in love and partners in everything else!”
”Yes,” she said, after a scarcely perceptible hesitation. ”I did mean that. You have antic.i.p.ated what I intended.”
”My sweetheart and my wife.” As he whispered the words, her whole face lit up with triumphant joy. ”I knew that you meant it all along. And I'm the happiest proudest man that ever lived.... Now you'd better tell them. Let them know that, too.”
Again she hesitated. She was in a fever of excitement, with all real thought obliterated by the flood of emotion; and yet perhaps already, though unconsciously to herself, she had attained a complete knowledge of the fatal nature of her mistake.
”Do you want me to tell them now--at once?”
”Yes,” he said gaily. ”No time like the present. Let them know how my dear wife and I mean to stand--and then there'll be nothing for anybody to chatter about.”
”Very well.”