“She admires you immensely,” said Felix.
“I don’t care for that. Other women should not admire one.”
“They should dislike you?”
Again Madame Münster hesitated. “They should hate me! It’s a measure of the time I have been losing here that they don’t.”
“No time is lost in which one has been happy!” said Felix, with a bright sententiousness which may well have been a little irritating.
“And in which,” rejoined his sister, with a harsher laugh, “one has secured the affections of a young lady with a fortune!”
Felix explained, very candidly and seriously. “I have secured Gertrude’s affection, but I am by no means sure that I have secured her fortune. That may come—or it may not.”
“Ah, well, it may! That’s the great point.”
“It depends upon her father. He doesn’t smile upon our union. You know he wants her to marry Mr. Brand.”
“I know nothing about it!” cried the Baroness. “Please to put on a log.” Felix complied with her request and sat watching the quickening of the flame. Presently his sister added, “And you propose to elope with mademoiselle?”