Volume Ii Part 36 (2/2)
”An excellent height!” said Fleda ? ” 'your six feet was ever the only height.' ”
”Who said that?” said Charlton.
”Isn't it enough that I say it?”
”What's he staying here for?”
”I don't know really,” said Fleda. ”It's very difficult to tell what people do things for.”
”Have you seen much of him?” said Mrs. Rossitur.
”Yes, Ma'am, a good deal ? he was often at Mrs. Evelyn's.”
”Is he going to marry one of her daughters?”
”Oh, no!” said Fleda, smiling; ”he isn't thinking of such a thing; ? not in America ? I don't know what he may do in England.”
”No!” said Charlton, ”I suppose he would think himself contaminated by matching with any blood in this hemisphere.”
”You do him injustice” said Fleda, colouring; ? ”you do not know him, Charlton.”
”You do?”
”Much better than that.”
”And he is not one of the most touch-me-not pieces of English birth and wealth that ever stood upon their own dignity?”
”Not at all,” said Fleda, ? ”How people may be misunderstood!
? he is one of the most gentle and kind persons I ever saw.”
”To you!”
”To everybody that deserves it.”
”Humph! ? And not proud?”
”No, not as you understand it,” ? and she felt it was very difficult to make him understand it, as the discovery involved a very offensive implication; ? ”he is too fine a character to be proud.”
”That _is_ arguing in a circle with a vengeance!” said Charlton.
”I know what you are thinking of,” said Fleda, ”and I suppose it pa.s.ses for pride with a great many people who cannot comprehend it ? he has a singular power of quietly rebuking wrong, and keeping impertinence at a distance ? where, Captain Rossitur, for instance, I suppose, would throw his cap in a man's face, Mr. Carleton's mere silence would make the offender doff his and ask pardon.”
The manner in which this was said precluded all taking offence.
”Well,” said Charlton, shrugging his shoulders ”then I don't know what pride is ? that's all!”
”Take care, Captain Rossitur,” said Fleda, laughing ? ”I have heard of such a thing as American pride before now.”
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