Part 45 (1/2)
He really meant it; her distress distressed him. The more she saw that the more tears she shed. Artful little crocodile!
”You w-won't f-f-forgive me!”
She knew all the time that he would.
”Pray, Mrs.--you--I--I--have nothing to forgive. But if you think I have, I forgive you freely, fully.”
The road was getting smooth, she thought, but it was not safe to drop the handkerchief yet; plainly that was a strong weapon.
”You m-m-must think me such an awful b-b-brute!”
Wretched little prevaricator! She knew quite well that he thought nothing of the kind.
”Believe me, I can never think of you in any way but the kindliest.”
True; every word of it. His heart was like a photographic plate, capable only of bearing one clear picture.
”I d-daresay you wish me dead, or at the bottom of the s-sea--and I d-deserve it.”
Really she did. It was most unfair--this present performance of hers. It distressed him beyond measure; he said:
”I wish you nothing but the greatest happiness it is possible for you to enjoy; wish it from my heart.”
”And I--I--have behaved so--s-s-so ungratefully to you.”
She uttered truth; perhaps for a change. But he denied what she said; answered:
”Not at all! You behaved rightly; as your heart dictated.”
She had to flare up at that; could not help it. As a matter of fact all her actions had been in direct opposition to her heart's promptings.
”I did nothing of the sort! My behaviour was quite wrong!”
The handkerchief s.h.i.+fted a little to enable her to look up at him out of the corner of her eye, as she continued:
”Just the reverse of the way my h-h-heart dictated.”
His own heart beat a little quicker at that, in expectation, as he asked eagerly:
”When was that?”
”At that wr-r-retched dinner.”
He sat down; somehow they both sat--apparently it was a simultaneous act. He was, however, to windward of her; she engineered that. The faint perfume of the hair of her bent head came to him. It has been already mentioned that Mrs. Seton-Carr devoted attention to details. No wonder the elder Weller warned his son against widows!
”You have said either not enough or too much.” He spoke hoa.r.s.ely, in tense tones. ”Tell me--more.”
”You want to make it h-h-hard for me; to humble me m-m-more.”