"You cannot?—why cannot you?"
Emma remained silent, but she was walking onward, the while he kept at her side.
"Miss Emma! why do not you speak?"
She could find no reply.
"I know I am a dull fellow—but I love you so much! There is not anything I would not do for you! Could not you care for me a little?"
"No, my lord."
"If you were only married to me, you would care for me!—you could not but care for me if we were married—I would love you so much!"
Emma wept.
"Why do you make my aunt cry? Why do not you go away?" asked little Augusta, looking over at him reproachfully.
"It needs a child to point out my obvious duty," he said bitterly; and, turning back, he strode away.