Part 73 (1/2)
I do.”
”Say it again.”
”I will say it fifty times,--till your ears are weary with it”;--and she did say it to him, after her own fas.h.i.+on, fifty times.
”This is a great change,” he said, getting up after a while and walking about the room.
”But a change for the better;--is it not, Oswald?”
”So much for the better that I hardly know myself in my new joy. But, Violet, we'll have no delay,--will we? No s.h.i.+lly-shallying. What is the use of waiting now that it's settled?”
”None in the least, Lord Chiltern. Let us say,--this day twelvemonth.”
”You are laughing at me, Violet.”
”Remember, sir, that the first thing you have to do is to write to your father.”
He instantly went to the writing-table and took up paper and pen.
”Come along,” he said. ”You are to dictate it.” But this she refused to do, telling him that he must write his letter to his father out of his own head, and out of his own heart. ”I cannot write it,” he said, throwing down the pen. ”My blood is in such a tumult that I cannot steady my hand.”
”You must not be so tumultuous, Oswald, or I shall have to live in a whirlwind.”
”Oh, I shall shake down. I shall become as steady as an old stager.
I'll go as quiet in harness by-and-by as though I had been broken to it a four-year-old. I wonder whether Laura could not write this letter.”
”I think you should write it yourself, Oswald.”
”If you bid me I will.”
”Bid you indeed! As if it was for me to bid you. Do you not know that in these new troubles you are undertaking you will have to bid me in everything, and that I shall be bound to do your bidding? Does it not seem to be dreadful? My wonder is that any girl can ever accept any man.”
”But you have accepted me now.”
”Yes, indeed.”
”And you repent?”
”No, indeed, and I will try to do your biddings;--but you must not be rough to me, and outrageous, and fierce,--will you, Oswald?”
”I will not at any rate be like Kennedy is with poor Laura.”
”No;--that is not your nature.”
”I will do my best, dearest. And you may at any rate be sure of this, that I will love you always. So much good of myself, if it be good, I can say.”
”It is very good,” she answered; ”the best of all good words. And now I must go. And as you are leaving Loughlinter I will say good-bye.
When am I to have the honour and felicity of beholding your lords.h.i.+p again?”
”Say a nice word to me before I am off, Violet.”