The things we do!

Had she
told them they were likely would not have understood Kew's meaning as she
did, and persisted in thinking that the two were reconciled. At any rate,
whilst he and her father were still lying stricken by the blows which had
prostrated them both, all questions of love and marriage had been put
aside. Did she love him? She felt such a kind pity for his misfortune,
such an admiration for his generous gallantry, such a remorse for her own
wayward conduct and cruel behaviour towards this most honest, and kindly,
and affectionate gentleman, that the sum of regard which she could bestow
upon him might surely be said to amount to love. For such a union as that
contemplated between them, perhaps for any marriage, no greater degree of
attachment was necessary as the common cement. Warm friendship and
thorough esteem and confidence (I do not say that our young lady
calculated in this matter-of-fact way) are safe properties invested in
the prudent marriage stock, multiplying and bearing an increasing value
with every year.


Pages:
891 892 893 894 895 896 897 898 899 900 901 902 903 904 905 906 907 908 909 910 911 912 913 914 915