“After what I have told you, can you give me no explanation?” Alban asked.
“I am quite unable, Mr. Morris, to help you.”
Was he lying? or speaking, the truth? The impression produced on Alban was that he had spoken the truth.
Women are never so ready as men to resign themselves to the disappointment of their hopes. Cecilia, silently listening up to this time, now ventured to speak—animated by her sisterly interest in Emily.
“Can you not tell us,” she said to Mirabel, “why Miss Jethro tried to prevent Emily Brown from meeting you here?”
“I know no more of her motive than you do,” Mirabel replied.
Alban interposed. “Miss Jethro left me,” he said, “with the intention—quite openly expressed—of trying to prevent you from accepting Mr. Wyvil’s invitation. Did she make the attempt?”
Mirabel admitted that she had made the attempt. “But,” he added, “without mentioning Miss Emily’s name. I was asked to postpone my visit, as a favor to herself, because she had her own reasons for wishing it. I had my reasons” (he bowed with gallantry to Cecilia) “for being eager to have the honor of knowing Mr. Wyvil and his daughter; and I refused.”
Once more, the doubt arose: was he lying? or speaking the truth? And, once more, Alban could not resist the conclusion that he was speaking the truth.
“There is one thing I should like to know,” Mirabel continued, after some hesitation. “Has Miss Emily been informed of this strange affair?”