“Do you like her?”
“Like her? I love her!” I exclaimed.
“Are you in earnest?” she asked.
“Of course I am. I loved her from the moment I set eyes on her. I would marry her to-morrow. I am only waiting until I have taught her to love me, to marry her.”
She stared for a moment or two with an expression of profound incredulity in her eyes; and almost immediately a deep and burning blush overspread her cheeks. I seemed to witness a change come over her as astounding as any that was ever wrought by Harlequin’s wand. “If I had only known!” she exclaimed, and hurried out of the room.
I stamped my foot with impatience.
“What is the meaning of all this?” I cried. “What earthly motive can these relations have for surrounding, and bewildering, and insulting me with their confounded conundrums?”
I paced about the room waiting for Theresa to return, when I at least expected she would enter into a full explanation of her extraordinary behaviour. Half-an-hour passed, and I was still alone. The grounds looked tempting; I entered them, and began with regular steps to measure the wide extent of the lawn, cudgelling my brains the while for a clue to Theresa’s conduct, and reviling the sluggish habits of my uncle, which delayed my hope of being enlightened.
Presently O’Twist came out of the house. He approached me with the most humble aspect that can be figured, and on my halting, stood still, twitching a fore-lock.
“I humbly ax your honour’s pardon for de liberty I took wid your honour last night. It wor all a mistake, sor; and Miss Theresa’s bid me come to you now and apoologise.”