human
were at home. The ladies were reported as being at home, and he was at once shown into the drawing-room, where Hetta was sitting. She hurried up to him, and he at once took her in his arms and kissed her. He had never done such a thing before. He had never even kissed her hand. Though they were cousins and dear friends, he had never treated her after that fashion. Her instinct told her immediately that such a greeting from him was a sign of affectionate compliance with her wishes. That this man should kiss her as her best and dearest relation, as her most trusted friend, as almost her brother, was certainly to her no offence. She could cling to him in fondest love,--if he would only consent not to be her lover.
gpt
Oh, Roger, I am so glad to see you,
human
I could not write an answer, and so I came.
gpt
You always do the kindest thing that can be done.
human
I don't know. I don't know that I can do anything now,--kind or unkind. It is all done without any aid from me. Hetta, you have been all the world to me.
gpt
Do not reproach me,
human
No;--no. Why should I reproach you? You have committed no fault. I should not have come had I intended to reproach any one.
gpt
I love you so much for saying that.
human
Let it be as you wish it,--if it must. I have made up my mind to bear it, and there shall be an end of it. As he said this he took her by the hand, and she put her head upon his shoulder and began to weep.
gpt
And still you will be all the world to me, he continued, with his arm round her waist.
human
As you will not be my wife, you shall be my daughter.
gpt
I will be your sister, Roger.
human
My daughter rather. You shall be all that I have in the world. I will hurry to grow old that I may feel for you as the old feel for the young. And if you have a child, Hetta, he must be my child. As he thus spoke her tears were renewed.
gpt
I have planned it all out in my mind, dear. There! If there be anything that I can do to add to your happiness, I will do it. You must believe this of me,--that to make you happy shall be the only enjoyment of my life.
human
Have you seen him?
gpt
Seen whom?
human
Mr. Montague.
gpt
No;--why should I have seen him? It is not for his sake that I am here.
human
But you will be his friend?
gpt
Your husband shall certainly be my friend;--or, if not, the fault shall not be mine. It shall all be forgotten, Hetta,--as nearly as such things may be forgotten. But I had nothing to say to him till I had seen you. At that moment the door was opened and Lady Carbury entered the room, and, after her greeting with her cousin, looked first at her daughter and then at Roger.
human
I have come up, said he,
gpt
Lady Carbury's face fell very low.
human
I need not speak again of what were my own wishes. I have learned at last that it could not have been so.
gpt
Why should you say so?
human
Pray, pray, mamma--,
gpt
I do not know that it need be so at all, continued Lady Carbury.
human
I think it is very much in your own hands. Of course it is not for me to press such an arrangement, if it be not in accord with your own wishes.
gpt
I look upon her as engaged to marry Paul Montague,
human
Not at all,
gpt
Yes; mamma,--yes, cried Hetta boldly.
human
It is so. I am engaged to him.
gpt
I beg to let your cousin know that it is not so with my consent,--nor, as far as I can understand at present, with the consent of Mr. Montague himself.
human
Mamma!
gpt
Paul Montague! ejaculated Roger Carbury.
human
The consent of Paul Montague! I think I may take upon myself to say that there can be no doubt as to that.
gpt
There has been a quarrel,
human
Surely he has not quarrelled with you, Hetta?
gpt
I wrote to him,--and he has not answered me,
human
The marriage is on every account objectionable, she said at last.
gpt
His means are precarious. His conduct with regard to that woman has been very bad. He has been sadly mixed up with that wretched man who destroyed himself. And now, when Henrietta has written to him without my sanction,--in opposition to my express commands,--he takes no notice of her. She, very properly, sent him back a present that he made her, and no doubt he has resented her doing so. I trust that his resentment may be continued.
human
I think I had better see him, he replied.
gpt
If, as I imagine, he has not received my cousin's letter, that matter will be set at rest. We must not take advantage of such an accident as that. As to his income,--that I think may be managed. His connection with Mr. Melmotte was unfortunate, but was due to no fault of his. At this moment he could not but remember Lady Carbury's great anxiety to be closely connected with Melmotte, but he was too generous to say a word on that head.
human
I will see him, Lady Carbury, and then I will come to you again.