human
I wonder whether you love anybody, and whether he loves you, said Marie. Hetta certainly had not come there to talk of her own affairs, and made no reply to this.
gpt
I suppose you won't tell me about yourself.
human
I wish I could tell you something for your own comfort.
gpt
He will not try again, you think?
human
I am sure he will not.
gpt
I wonder what he fears. I should fear nothing,--nothing. Why should not we walk out of the house, and be married any way? Nobody has a right to stop me. Papa could only turn me out of his house. I will venture if he will.
human
I cannot listen to it. Indeed I cannot listen to it. My brother is sure that he cannot--cannot--
gpt
Cannot love me, Hetta! Say it out, if it is true.
human
It is true, said Hetta. There came over the face of the other girl a stern hard look, as though she had resolved at the moment to throw away from her all soft womanly things. And she relaxed her hold on Hetta's waist.
gpt
Oh, my dear, I do not mean to be cruel, but you ask me for the truth.
human
Yes; I did.
gpt
Men are not, I think, like girls.
human
I suppose not, said Marie slowly.
gpt
What liars they are, what brutes;--what wretches! Why should he tell me lies like that? Why should he break my heart? That other man never said that he loved me. Did he never love me,--once?
human
It is better that you should think of him no more.
gpt
Are you like that? If you had loved a man and told him of it, and agreed to be his wife and done as I have, could you bear to be told to think of him no more,--just as though you had got rid of a servant or a horse? I won't love him. No;--I'll hate him. But I must think of him. I'll marry that other man to spite him, and then, when he finds that we are rich, he'll be broken-hearted.
human
You should try to forgive him, Marie.
gpt
Never. Do not tell him that I forgive him. I command you not to tell him that. Tell him,--tell him, that I hate him, and that if I ever meet him, I will look at him so that he shall never forget it. I could,--oh!--you do not know what I could do. Tell me;--did he tell you to say that he did not love me?
human
I wish I had not come,
gpt
I am glad you have come. It was very kind. I don't hate you. Of course I ought to know. But did he say that I was to be told that he did not love me?
human
No;--he did not say that.
gpt
Then how do you know? What did he say?
human
That it was all over.
gpt
Because he is afraid of papa. Are you sure he does not love me?
human
I am sure.
gpt
Then he is a brute. Tell him that I say that he is a false-hearted liar, and that I trample him under my foot. Marie as she said this thrust her foot upon the ground as though that false one were in truth beneath it,--and spoke aloud, as though regardless who might hear her.
human
I despise him;--despise him. They are all bad, but he is the worst of all. Papa beats me, but I can bear that. Mamma reviles me and I can bear that. He might have beaten me and reviled me, and I could have borne it. But to think that he was a liar all the time;--that I can't bear.
gpt
You can tell papa that I will marry Lord Nidderdale whenever he pleases.
human
Your papa, said she,
gpt
Yes, continued Marie, boiling over with passion as she spoke.
human
I'll marry Lord Nidderdale, or that horrid Mr. Grendall who is worse than all the others, or his old fool of a father,--or the sweeper at the crossing,--or the black man that waits at table, or anybody else that he chooses to pick up. I don't care who it is the least in the world. But I'll lead him such a life afterwards! I'll make Lord Nidderdale repent the hour he saw me! You may tell papa.