“You were, indeed,” said Maria, laughing. “I never witnessed such an outburst from you before.”
“And you shall not see such another; but I was answering less what you said than what I have reason to suppose is in the minds of several other people.”
“In their minds? They have not told you their thoughts, then. And several other people, too! Why, Margaret, I really think it is not very reasonable in you to find fault with others for thinking something which they have not troubled you to listen to, and which is so natural, that it has struck ‘several’ of them. Surely, Margaret, you must be a little, just a very little, touchy upon the matter.”
“Touchy! What should make me touchy?”
“Ay, what?”
“I do assure you, Maria, nothing whatever has passed between that person and me which has anything more than the commonest— No, I will not say the commonest friendship, because I believe ours is a very warm and intimate friendship; but indeed it is nothing more. You may be sure that, if it had been otherwise, I should not have said a word upon the whole matter, even to you; and I would not have allowed even you to speak ten words to me about it. Are you satisfied now?”
“I am satisfied that you any what you think.”
“Oh, Maria! what a sigh! If you have no objection, I should like to know the meaning of that sigh.”
“I was thinking of ‘the course of true love.’”
“But not that it ‘never does run smooth.’ That is not true. Witness Hester’s.”