CHAPTER XXXVII
A knock at Merthyr's chamber called him out while he sat writing to Marini on the national business. He heard Georgiana's voice begging him to come to her quickly. When he saw her face the stain of tears was there.
“Anything the matter with Charlotte?” was his first question.
“No. But, come: I will tell you on the way. Do not look at me.”
“No personal matter of any kind?”
“Oh, no! I can have none;” and she took his hand for a moment.
They passed into the dark windy street smelling of the sea.
“Emilia is here,” said Georgiana. “I want you to persuade her—you will have influence with her. Oh, Merthyr! my darling brother! I thank God I love my brother with all my love! What a dreadful thing it is for a woman to love a man:”
“I suppose it is, while she has nothing else to do,” said Merthyr. “How did she come?—why?”
“If you had seen Emilia to-night, you would have felt that the difference is absolute.” Georgiana dealt first with the general case, “she came, I think, by some appointment.”