'Certainly not—there is nothing I wish explained,' said she, warmly, though tears were in her eyes, and, as they seemed to be almost 'sparring now,' Jerry rose to withdraw, yet lingered, with a heavy, loving, and angry heart, and said,
'To me you are in no way what you were once, Bella, and what I hoped you might have been. When I was last in Wilmothurst I saw that puppy Twesildown hovering about; surely you—you don't encourage him?'
This was a blunt and unfortunate speech, for Bella's brown eyes sparkled as she asked, hotly,
'How dare you think, much less ask, if I would encourage anyone?'
'I don't know—pardon me; I scarcely know what I think or what I say.'
'So it seems.'
Both were standing now, but apart. Oh, how Jerry longed to take her in his arms and pour his farewell kisses on her lips and hair and eyes; but this was not to be.
'How hard you are with me!' said he, after a pause.
'Have you deserved that I should be otherwise?'
'My mother has said——'