human
Well? asked Bella, bending her brows like an empress,
gpt
I--I--love you, Miss Huxham.
human
I am somewhat surprised, Mr. Pence, she replied demurely,
gpt
No, he stuttered, flushing with eagerness, for amorous passion makes the most timid bold.
human
I have loved you for months, for years. I want you to be my wife--to share with me the glorious privilege of leading my flock to the land of Beulah, and----
gpt
Stop, stop! She flung up her hand.
human
I assure you, Mr. Pence, that it is impossible. Forget that you ever said anything.
gpt
I cannot forget. Why should I forget?
human
You must not ask a woman for her reasons, Mr. Pence, she answered drily,
gpt
Bella!
human
Miss Huxham to you, Mr. Pence.
gpt
No, he cried wildly;
human
He threw himself on the path, heedless of the fact that Mrs. Tunks might be at her not far distant window.
gpt
I am at your feet, Bella! Bella!
human
Rise, Mr. Pence, someone will see you. You must not behave like this. I cannot be your wife.
gpt
Why not? Oh, why not?
human
Because I am not fit to be a minister's wife.
gpt
Let me teach you.
human
No, no, no! she insisted,
gpt
But why?
human
I have a reason, she replied formally;
gpt
I have no need to. I know your reason.
human
In that case, I need not explain,
gpt
You love that man Lister,
human
That is my business, Mr. Pence.
gpt
Mine also, he cried, undaunted by her haughtiness.
human
Your father's business, too. Mrs. Coppersley said that you were almost engaged to this man Lister. But you shall not marry him; you will not even be engaged to him.
gpt
Who will prevent me?
human
Your father. He hates this man Lister.
gpt
How can my father hate a man he has never even seen? she demanded;
human
Miss Huxham --Pence detained her by laying his thin fingers on her arm--
gpt
--he kept to this sentence as though it were a charm--
human
How dare you say that?
gpt
I dare tell the truth.
human
It is not the truth. How can you tell if----
gpt
Your father told me,
human
My--father--said--that?
gpt
Yes, yes, yes! cried Silas feverishly.
human
I went to him this very afternoon to ask permission to present myself to you as a suitor. He consented, but only when he heard that you loved this man who----
gpt
You told him that?
human
Yes, said Pence, trying to be courageous,
gpt
Who says that it is?
human
Everyone in the village.
gpt
The village has nothing to do with my business, she declared imperiously,
human
If you married the man Lister, he reminded her.
gpt
Yes, he did say so, and declared also that he would give me the manor-house and the farm when he died, if I made you my wife.
human
My father does not mean what he says, she remarked disbelievingly;
gpt
No. Silas was wonderfully brave for one of his timid soul.
human
You shall not pass until you learn the truth. You think that I am a fool and weak. I am not. I feel wise and strong; and I am strong--strong enough to withstand temptation, even when you are offered as a bribe.
gpt
You are mad.
human
I am sane; you know that I am sane, but you think to put me off by saying that I am crazy. I have had enough to make me so. Your father --here his voice took on the sing-song pulpit style--
gpt
What! Bella's voice leaped an octave;
human
Yes, Cyril, the man you love. And if I dared----
gpt
Mr. Pence --Bella saw the necessity of keeping herself well in hand with this hysterical youth, for he was nothing else, and spoke in a calm, kind voice--
human
Go and ask him what he thinks, said Pence fiercely.
gpt
I tell you that to-day I was offered everything if I would kill this man Lister.
human
You are talking at random, she said soothingly;
gpt
I am talking of what may come to pass. Your father wishes it, so why not, when I love you so deeply? I offer you the heart of an honest man, and yet you would throw that aside for this profligate.
human
Cyril is not a profligate,
gpt
He is. He comes from London, the City of Evil, that shall yet fall like Babylon the Great. But your soul shall not be lost; you shall not marry him.
human
I shall! cried Bella, indignantly, and becoming rash again in her anger;