“Yes, yes,’ I murmured, ‘but—’
“She did not wait to hear what lay behind that but. Picking up her flowers, she hastily crossed the room. ‘Did my young mother shriek from joy, when my father’s horses ran away with them along that deadly precipice at the side of the Southmore road? To lie for a few maddening moments on the breast of the man you love, earth reeling beneath you, heaven swimming above you, and then with a cry of bliss to fall heart to heart, down the hideous gap of some awful gulf, and be dashed into eternity with the cry still on your lips, that is what I call love and that is what I—’
“She paused, turned upon me the whole splendor of her face, seemed to realize to what an extent her impetuosity had lifted the veil with which she usually shrouded her bitterly suppressed nature, and calming herself with a sudden quick movement, gave me a short mocking courtesy and left the room.
“Do you wonder that for half the night I sat up brooding and alive to the faintest sounds!
“Next day Mr. Holt called again, and a couple of weeks after—long enough to enable Colonel Japha to make whatever inquiries he chose as to his claims as a gentleman of means and position—sent a formal entreaty for Jacqueline’s hand. I had never seen Colonel Japha more moved. His admiration for the young man was hearty and sincere. From a worldly point of view, as well as from all higher standpoints, the match was one of which he could be proud; and yet to speak the word that would separate from him the only creature that he loved, was hard as the cutting off an arm or the plucking out of an eye. ‘Do you think she loves him?’ asked he of me with a rare condescension of which he was not often guilty. ‘You are a woman and ought to understand her better than I. Do you think she loves him?’
“After the words I had heard her speak, what could I reply but, ‘Yes, sir; she is of a reserved nature and controls her feelings in his presence, but she loves him for all that, with the intensest fervor and passion.’
“He repeated again, ‘You are a woman and you ought to know.’ And then called his daughter to him.
“I cannot tell what passed between them, but the upshot of it was, that the Colonel despatched an answer to the effect that the father’s consent would not be lacking, provided the daughter’s could be obtained. I learned this from Jacqueline herself who brought me the letter to post.
“‘You see then, that your father understands,’ said I.
“Her rich red lip curled mockingly, but she did not reply.