“With pleasure, certainly,” I managed to edge in, as she drew her breath.
“And at your life’s close,” she went on, in her peculiar strain, “may your barque furl its sails in a peaceful harbor, and having bosomed” (Sapphic for breasted) “every wave, anchor safely there.”
As she paused, I broke in——
“Miss Finnock, you have wofully misinterpreted my meaning. I was only jesting, as I thought you were; and my words had no more serious import than the verses in a bon-bon.”
“I hardly expected that you would thus try to evade the subject, Mr. Smith. But I have too much consideration for your feelings to place your name on my list of rejected ones. The result of our interview shall be strictly entre nous.”
“Your list must be immensely long, if you put every name down with as little reason as you have mine. I will leave you, Miss Finnock; for I can gain nothing in a contest with a lady who makes half the addresses she rejects.” This I said without thought, being thrown off my guard by her treatment; and the moment after I had closed the door I felt like going back to ask her pardon. Pride, however, suggested that she had overstepped the bounds of womanly delicacy in her conduct towards me, and that she must take outside treatment.
[CHAPTER XXXVIII.]
Perhaps there was never a betrothal made under more favorable auspices than Carlotta’s and mine. Perfect love and confidence towards each other, and the most entire approval of all interested in our welfare! When we met, father pressed my hand most cordially in token of his sanction, and mother kissed me, saying, as she did so: