I
had not got far into it, when I judged from her looks that she was
thinking in a discursive way of me, rather than of what I said. It
seemed to be so; for, when I stopped speaking, many moments passed
before she showed that she was conscious of the fact.
"Do you break off," she asked then, with her former air of being
afraid of me, "because you hate me too much to bear to speak to
me?"
"No, no," I answered, "how can you think so, Miss Havisham! I
stopped because I thought you were not following what I said."
"Perhaps I was not," she answered, putting a hand to her head.
"Begin again, and let me look at something else. Stay! Now tell
me."
She set her hand upon her stick in the resolute way that sometimes
was habitual to her, and looked at the fire with a strong
expression of forcing herself to attend. I went on with my
explanation, and told her how I had hoped to complete the
transaction out of my means, but how in this I was disappointed.
That part of the subject (I reminded her) involved matters which
could form no part of my explanation, for they were the weighty
secrets of another.
"So!" said she, assenting with her head, but not looking at me.
"And how much money is wanting to complete the purchase?"
I was rather afraid of stating it, for it sounded a large sum.
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