Part 41 (2/2)
He rose as he spoke, drew up his little figure to its utmost height in his excitement, and pushed back his light hair from his small, insignificant face. A face that betrayed not too much strength of any sort, physical, moral, or intellectual; but a good-natured face withal.
Charlotte retained unbroken calmness.
”Rodolf, I don't think it would do,” she said, with an air of candid reasoning. ”I have thought it over and over, and that's why I have put you off. It is not well that we should all be so closely connected together. Better get new ties, that will shelter us, in case a--a----”
”A what?” asked Rudolf Pain, his eyes strained on Charlotte through their very light lashes.
”In case a smash comes. That--if we are all in the same boat--would ruin the lot. Better that you and I should form other connections.”
”You are talking great nonsense,” he angrily said. ”A smas.h.!.+--to us!
Can't you trust Verrall better than that?”
”Why, you say that, even at this present moment----”
”You are wrong, Charlotte,” he vehemently interrupted; ”you entirely misunderstand me. Things go wrong in business temporarily; they must do so in business of all sorts; but they right themselves again. Why! do you know what Verrall made last year?”
”A great deal.”
”My little petty share was two thousand pounds: and that is as a drop of water to the ocean compared with his. What has put you upon these foolish fancies?”
”Prudence,” returned Charlotte.
”I don't believe it,” was the plain answer. ”You are trying to blind me.
You are laying yourself out for higher game; and to shut my eyes, and gain time to see if you can play it out, you concoct a story of 'prudence' to me. It's one or the other of those G.o.dolphins.”
”The G.o.dolphins!” mockingly repeated Charlotte. ”You are clever! The one will never marry as long as the world lasts; the other's dead.”
”Dead!” echoed Rodolf Pain.
”As good as dead. He's like a ghost, and he is being sent off for an everlasting period to some warmer climate. How ridiculous you are, Rodolf!”
”Charlotte, I'll take care of ways and means. I'll take care of you and your interests. Only fix the time when you will be mine.”
”Then I won't, Rodolf. I don't care to marry yet awhile. I'll see about it when the next hunting season shall be over.”
Rodolf Pain opened his eyes. ”The hunting season!” he cried. ”What has that to do with it?”
”Were you my husband, you would be forbidding me to hunt; you don't like my doing it now. So for the present I'll remain mistress of my own actions.”
”Another lame excuse,” he said, knitting his brow. ”You will take very good care always to remain mistress of your own actions, whether married or single.”
Charlotte laughed, a ringing laugh of power. It spoke significantly enough to Mr. Rodolf Pain. He would have renewed the discussion, but she peremptorily declined, and shaking hands with him, wished him good night.
CHAPTER XX.
A REVELATION TO ALL SOULS' RECTOR.
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