Harry Annesley has chosen me, and I am
infinitely happy in his choice." Here Harry made an attempt to get his
arm round her waist, in which, however, she prevented him, seeing the
angry passion rising in her cousin's eyes. "He is to be my husband, I
hope. I have told him that I love him, and I tell you so also. He has my
promise, and I cannot take it back without perjury to him, and ruin,
absolute ruin, to myself. All my happiness in this world depends on him.
He is to me my own one absolute master, to whom I have given myself
altogether, as far as this world goes. Even were he to reject me I could
not give myself to another."
"My Florence! my darling!" Harry exclaimed.
"After having told you so much, can you ask your cousin to be untrue to
her word and to her heart, and to become your wife when her heart is
utterly within his keeping? Mountjoy, it is impossible."
"What of me, then?" he said.
"Rouse yourself and love some other girl and marry her, and so do well
with yourself and with your property."
"You talk of your heart," he said, "and you bid me use my own after such
fashion as that!"
"A man's heart can be changed, but not a woman's. His love is but one
thing among many."
"It is the one thing," said Harry.
Pages:
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840