“I regret that he should have made an engagement which has disappointed you,” said Bettina, a slight curl at the corners of her lips.
“I regret it also; but you may remember that at the beginning of this interview I spoke of this mistake on your part and on his as great, though not perhaps irreparable.”
He was looking at her keenly, and he saw that his words had no effect upon her except to mystify her.
“I do not see any way to its reparation,” she said, and was about to continue, when he interrupted her.
“I have pointed out the way—a rupture of the engagement by mutual consent.”
“A consent that he would never give,” said Bettina, with a certain pride of confidence.
“And you?” he asked.
“Nor I either,” she said, “unless I were convinced that he wished it.”
“It would perhaps be not impossible to convince you of that, granted a little time,” said Lord Hurdly. “But, apart from his wish, have you no consideration for his interest? His position in diplomacy is at present insignificant, but he has talents and a chance to rise, unless that chance be utterly frustrated by his embarrassing himself with a family—a condition that would be death to his career. Ask any one you choose, and they will tell you that there cannot be two opinions about this. Besides, through my help he has been able to live like a man of fortune. His allowance, however, will be stopped on the day of his marriage, if he persists in such a course. If he abandons it, he will find himself with the principal as well as the interest at his disposal. So situated, he has every chance to rise. Under the other conditions, he inevitably falls. What would become of him ultimately is too dreary a line of conjecture to dwell upon.”