It is not an elastic nature. I have watched it.'
'At least, allow me to know her,' put in the artist, a little grimly.
Tregellan shook his head.
'The Breton blood; her English mother: passionate Catholicism! a touch of
Puritan! Have you quite made up your mind, Sebastian?'
'I made it up long ago, Tregellan!'
The other looked at him, curiously, compassionately; with a touch of
resentment at what he found his lack of subtilty. Then he said at last:
'I called it impossible; you force me to be very explicit, even cruel. I
must remind you, that you are, of all my friends, the one I value most,
could least afford to lose.'
'You must be going to say something extremely disagreeable! something
horrible,' said the artist, slowly.
'I am,' said Tregellan, 'but I must say it. Have you explained to
Mademoiselle, or her uncle, your--your peculiar position?'
Sebastian was silent for a moment, frowning: the lines about his mouth grew
a little sterner; at last he said coldly:
'If I were to answer, Yes?'
'Then I should understand that there was no further question of your
marriage.'
Presently the other commenced in a hard, leaden voice.
'No, I have not told Marie-Yvonne that.
Pages:
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135