'I do: and because I love him I will not let him be fettered to me.'
'You will see him.'
'Do not imagine that his persuasions undermined your Tony. I am subject to panics.'
'Was it your husband?'
'I had a visit from Lady Wathin. She knows him. She came as peacemaker. She managed to hint at his authority. Then came a letter from him—of supplication, interpenetrated with the hint: a suffused atmosphere. Upon that; unexpected by me, my—let me call him so once, forgive me!—lover came. Oh! he loves me, or did then. Percy! He had been told that I should be claimed. I felt myself the creature I am—a wreck of marriage. But I fancied I could serve him:—I saw golden. My vanity was the chief traitor. Cowardice of course played a part. In few things that we do, where self is concerned, will cowardice not be found. And the hallucination colours it to seem a lovely heroism. That was the second time Mr. Redworth arrived. I am always at crossways, and he rescues me; on this occasion unknowingly.'
'There's a divinity...' said Emma. 'When I think of it I perceive that Patience is our beneficent fairy godmother, who brings us our harvest in the long result.'
'My dear, does she bring us our labourers' rations, to sustain us for the day?' said Diana.'
'Poor fare, but enough.'
'I fear I was born godmotherless.'
'You have stores of patience, Tony; only now and then fits of desperation.'