His florid cheek paled with anger, his
yellow-speckled eyes glowed with lurid fire, he compressed his lips
bitterly as he said:
"Marriage is usually considered a solemnity, Miss Monfort; and, let me
assure you, it is only as a married woman I can conscientiously release
you from confinement. You have shown yourself too erratic to be
intrusted in future with your own liberties."
"Possibly," I rejoined. "Yet I mean to have the selection, let me assure
you, in return, of the controller of my liberties--nay, have already
selected him, for aught you know!"
My cool audacity seemed for a moment to paralyze even his own. He paused
and surveyed me, as if in doubt of his own senses.
"_Impayable!_" I heard him murmur, softly, and, turning to the
book-shelves, he left me for a time to master the contents of the three
documents over which I was bending.
I read them in order as they were numbered, and became more and more
indignant as their meaning opened upon my brain, and culminated at last
in a sharp, sudden exclamation of utter disdain.
I started from my chair and approached him, paper in hand. I think for
a few moments the idea of personal danger possessed him, and the vision
of a concealed dirk or pistol swam before his eyes, which he shielded
with his hand, while he placed a chair between us; and, truth to say,
there was murder in my heart, and in my eyes as well, I suppose, even if
the mistrust went no further.
Pages:
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498