“No, not at all. I was in the wrong. I should not have spoken like that. You were quite right.” [[281]]
“I am not sure,” she said. “I know I must have offended you with my unmannerliness. Will you forgive me, or do you refuse me your hand as I have refused you mine?”
She gave him her hand. He pressed it closely.
“I will forgive you gladly,” he answered, “and I think it very nice of you that you confess that you have been a little in the wrong.”
“And in future, will you please take that interest in me which you said you did when last I saw you. Will you believe me if I tell you that your interest in me and your friendship will not annoy me as I told you it did then? May I depend upon that?”
“Certainly you may.”
“Thank you. Thank you very much. I was not deceived when I told you that you had a kind heart. You are more than kind, you are noble.”
He laughed a little.
“What big words you do use,” he said jestingly. “You’re becoming so dignified.”
“No,” she said determinedly. “I’m not dignified, and I use no big words. I mean what I say. You do not know what pleasure it gives me to see you and to hear from you that you are not angry with me, especially at this moment. I was feeling so terribly unhappy.”