It was, therefore, with a confused and fluttered manner she thanked him for the flowers he had sent her.
"You are too good, Charles," said she; "you are, indeed! You positively spoil me! The bouquet was magnificent, and the camelias really splendid! too much so, indeed, for me!"
"You say rightly, my love, you require no ornament to render you irresistibly charming! Still I could not deny myself the pleasure of sending you those needless, useless helps to ordinary beauty; but I am delighted the flowers pleased you, and that so small an attention on my part has been deemed worthy of notice by you. Alas! I have but too many faults to atone for!"
"Nay, Charles!"
"Stop me not—for I must speak. Was I not only yesterday cruel and unkind? did I not do all in my power to make you hate and detest me? But husbands are a sad set—there is no denying it."
"I assure you, Charles, I had entirely forgotten all that had occurred."
"Because your good and generous nature is incapable of feeling ill-will towards any one. Truly there are times when I seriously ask myself how I have been able so long to undervalue so many rare and precious qualities as are contained within your breast."
"Charles, you pain me. I beseech you——"
"No, I say again, I cannot tell where could have been my judgment, my discrimination. Yet that accounts, too, for the almost blind confidence I have ever reposed in you, always excepting those foolish, groundless fits of jealousy which have from time to time ruffled my repose; and you can scarcely believe how greatly our yesterday's conversation has increased the confidence I previously entertained."
"Charles!"