"No more misunderstandings, or any thing? and you
won't get out of the way ally more, as if I were poison--will you?"
"I never did!" protested he, laughing awkwardly. In the last few minutes
he had developed a sentiment hitherto unknown to him--pique! He had been
imagining Cornelia in love with him, and angry at his preference for
Sophie; whereas, it would now seem that the only reason she cared for
him at all, was because he was Sophie's lover: a most correct spirit in
her, no doubt; but, instead of being gratified, as was his duty, he felt
provoked.
"Oh! yes, you behaved shockingly!" rejoined Cornelia, laughing with him.
"Mind! I don't care how devoted you are to Sophie--the more the better;
but, when you do notice me, I want you to do it kindly--won't you?"
"I'll be sure to, now that I know you care any thing about it."
"And what made you think I didn't care about it, if you please, sir?"
"Why," stammered he, quite at a loss what to say, and so coming out with
the truth, "I thought you were offended at my being engaged to Sophie!"
"But what should there be in that to offend me?" demanded Cornelia, with
the mouth and eyes of Innocence.
"I don't know:--well--I knew you first!" he blurted forth, beginning to
wish he had been satisfied to hold his tongue.
Pages:
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290