When you held me
in your arms in the carriage you know you meant me to suppose that
it would always be so. Then the fear of your sister came upon you,
and of your sister's husband,--and you ran away! I wonder whether
you think yourself a man!" And yet she felt that she had not hit
him yet. He was wretched enough; and she could see that he was
wretched; but the wretchedness would pass away as soon as she was
gone. How could she stab him so that the wound would remain? With
what virus could she poison her arrow, so that the agony might be
prolonged. "And such a coward too! I began to suspect it when you
started that night from Mistletoe,--though I did not think then
that you could be all mean, all cowardly. From that day to this,
you have not dared to speak a word of truth. Every word has been a
falsehood."
"By heavens, no."
"Every word a falsehood! and I, a lady,--a lady whom you have so
deeply injured, whose cruel injury even you have not the face to
deny,--am forced by your cowardice to come to you here, because you
have not dared to come out to meet me. Is that true!"
"What good can it do?"
"None to me, God knows. You are such a thing that I would not have
you now I know you, though you were twice Lord Rufford. But I have
chosen to speak my mind to you and to tell you what I think.
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