In answer to this, Miss Warriner told him
gently but firmly that she could not love him, but that she liked him
and admired him, even though she was disappointed to find that his
sudden interest in matters more serious than polo had been assumed to
please her. She added that she would always be his friend. This, she
thought, ended the matter; it was unfortunate that they should be
shipbound on the Nile; but she trusted to his tact and good sense to
save them both from embarrassment. She was not prepared, however, to
see him come on deck very late the next morning, after, apparently, a
long sleep, as keen, as cheerful, and as smiling as he had been
before the blow had fallen. It piqued her a little, and partly
because of that, and partly because she really was relieved to find
him in such a humor, she congratulated him on his most evident
happiness.
"Why not?" he asked, suddenly growing sober. "I love you. That is
enough to make any man happy, isn't it? You needn't love me, but you
can't prevent my going on loving you."
"Well, I am very sorry," she sighed in much perplexity.
"You needn't be," he answered, reassuringly. "I'm more sorry for you
than I am for myself.
Pages:
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226