Volume IV Part 48 (1/2)
We set off at a walk, and Leah told h to confess to her father that she could e, and that if I did not wish to eh to purchase it
”Strike the bargain,” said she, ”and you can give it me when you are sure of my love”
”My dear Leah, I am your humble servant, but you knohat condition”
”I proetting out of the carriage, but I know you would not care for that No, your affection was only a temporary caprice”
”To convince you of the contrary I will buy the phaeton and put it in a coach-house I will see that the horses are taken-care of, though I shall not use them But if you do not make me happy in the course of a week I shall re-sell the whole”
”Come to us to-e of your affection this ? It's io upstairs with you, and you can shew ”
We ca her father that the phaeton was rinned, and we all went upstairs, and Leah coolly said,--
”Count out the money”
”I have not any money about me, but I rite you a cheque, if you like”
”Here is paper”
I wrote a cheque on Zappata for three hundred sequins, payable at sight
The Jeent off to get the money, and Leah remained alone with me
”You have trusted me,” she said, ”and have thus shewn yourself worthy of my love”
”Then undress, quick!”
”No, my aunt is about the house; and as I cannot shut the door without exciting suspicion, she ht come in; but I promise that you shall be content withto undress, but you ot ement, and she shut me in I examined the door, and discovered a sot on a stool, and saw Leah sitting on a sofa opposite toherself
She took off her shi+ft and wiped her breasts and her feet with a towel, and just as she had taken off her breeches, and was as naked as er, and rolled under the sofa She got up, looked to right and left, and then stooped to search under the sofa, and to do this she had to kneel with her head down When she got back to couch, the towel caain into requisition, and she wiped herself all over in such a er eyes I felt sure that she kneas a witness of all these operations, and she probably guessed what a fire the sight would kindle in my inflammable breast
At last her toilette was finished, and she let me out I clasped her in ” She pretended not to believeto obtain my just dues, when the accursed Moses came in He hter had put avein my poor house is at your service”
I bade theot into my phaeton, and drove home and told the coachman to find e
I did not expect to see Leah again, and I felt enraged with her She had pleased me only too much by her voluptuous attitudes, but she had set up an irritation wholly hostile to Love She had ry boy had consented, but afterwards, when he craved more substantial fare, she refused him, and ardour was succeeded by contempt
Leah did not want to confess herself to be what she really was, and my love would not declare itself knavish