“What do you advise me to do?” he asked. “I seem to be wholly in your hands!”
“Withdraw your suit!” said Sophy.
He looked sharply at her. “No I, I mean to make a push — ”
“You will call in Berkeley Square this afternoon,” said; Sophy, with the utmost patience, “and you will request the favor of a few minutes alone with Cecilia. When you see her — ”
“I shall not see her. She will deny herself!” he said bitterly.
“She will see you, because I shall tell her she owes it to you to do so. I wish you will not keep on interrupting me!” He begged pardon meekly, and she continued, “When you see her, you will assure her that you have no desire to distress her, that you will never mention the matter again to her. You will be excessively noble, and she will feel that you sympathize with her, and if you can convey to her also the sense of your heart being broken, however well you contrive to conceal it, so much the better!”
“I am strongly of the opinion that Major Quinton grossly understated the case!” said his lordship, with feeling.
“Very likely. Gentlemen can never see when a little duplicity is needed. You, I have no doubt, if I left you to your own devices, would storm and rant at Cecilia, so that all would end in a quarrel, and you would find it quite impossible to visit the house, even! But if she knows that you will not enact her any tragedies she will be perfectly pleased to see you as often as you care to come to Berkeley Square.”
“How can I visit in Berkeley Square when she is betrothed to another man? If you imagine that I’ll play the lovelorn suitor in the hope of arousing pity in Cecilia’s breast you were never more at fault! As well be a lap dog!”
“Much better,” said Sophy. “You will visit in Berkeley Square to see me. You cannot too suddenly seem to transfer your interest in my direction, of course, but it would be an excellent start if you were to find an opportunity of telling Cecilia today how droll and entertaining you think me.”