“Well, sir! That is easily understood in guardian and ward.”
“Not when the guardian is a man of thirty-seven and the ward a girl of twenty; not when
“‘Both are young and one is beautiful,’”
he added sneeringly. “Often, you know it, we were mistaken for a married pair——”
“And for brother and sister,” she added, the blood mounting to her brow.
“Which we were not. Now attend! All that familiarity may be understood in a guardian and ward, who are, besides, known to be betrothed to each other, and who keep their tacit promise to society by marriage. Now, listen! if you should not consent to marry me——”
“If I do not! I will not. There is no if.”
“Then all your beauty, wealth, and talent, with all the power they give you, avail you nothing. You are an outcast!”
She dropped into her chair again, she paled even to her lips, the fire died out of her eyes, and even from every lurid ring of her dark, bright hair. He gazed at her ironically, saying slowly:
“Ah! you do not care for the opinion of the world.”