human
Oh! she said in a low voice.
gpt
That _you_ should be driven out of Mitchelhurst!
human
Don't! cried he.
gpt
God! it was my own fault!
human
What was it? What did you quarrel about?
gpt
Do I know? Reynold demanded.
human
Ask him! Perhaps he can remember some of the idiotic jangling. Why did we begin? Why did we go on? I don't believe hell itself could be more wearisome. I was sick to death of it, and yet something seemed to goad me on--I couldn't give in! It was my infernal temper, I suppose.
gpt
Oh I am so sorry!
human
He shouldn't have spoken to me as he did, when I was his guest at his own table, young Harding continued.
gpt
But after all, he is an old man, I ought to have remembered that. Well, it's too late; it's all over now!
human
But is it too late? Can't anything be done?
gpt
Kiss and make friends--eh? he said.
human
Will you run and fetch your uncle?
gpt
No, said the young man,
human
And you are sorry you ever came!
gpt
Don't remind me of that! I'm just as sorry I came here as that I ever came into the world at all.
human
This will be good-night and good-bye, said Harding.
gpt
I shall be gone before you are down in the morning.
human
You are going home?
gpt
Home? Well, yes, I suppose so. By the way, I don't know that I shall go home to-morrow. I may have to stay another day in Mitchelhurst. That depends--I shall see when the morning comes. Your uncle's jurisdiction doesn't extend beyond the grounds of the Place, I suppose. I won't trespass, he may be very sure of that, and I won't stay in the neighbourhood any longer than I can help. Only, you see, this is rather a sudden change of plans.
human
I am so sorry, the girl repeated.
gpt
I hate to think of your going away like this. I'm ashamed!
human
No! no! I'm rightly served, though you needn't tell Mr. Hayes I said so. I was fool enough to let my temper get the upper hand, and I must pay the penalty. How I _could_ be such an inconceivable idiot--but that's neither here nor there. It was my own fault, and the less said about it the better.
gpt
No, it was my fault.
human
Yours? he said.
gpt
That never occurred to me. How do you make it out?
human
Well, she said, looking down, and tracing a joint of the stone with the tip of her little embroidered slipper,
gpt
How do you mean?
human
I knew he was cross, she said.
gpt
I knew it this morning as soon as he came down, and he generally gets worse and worse all day. He isn't often out of temper like that--only now and then. I dare say he will be all right to-morrow, or perhaps the day after.
human
That's a little late for me!
gpt
So you see it _was_ my fault. I ought to have told you.
human
Well, perhaps if you had, I might have been a trifle more on my guard. I don't know, I'm sure. Yes, I wish you had happened to warn me! But you mustn't reproach yourself, Miss Strange, it wasn't your fault. You didn't know what I was, you couldn't be expected to think of it.
gpt
But I _did_ think of it!
human
You did?
gpt
Yes, I was thinking of it all day. Oh how I _wish_ I had done it! But I wasn't sure you would like it--I didn't know. I thought perhaps it might seem --she faltered--
human
I see! Reynold answered in his harshest voice.
gpt
I needn't have told you just now that I had a devil of a temper!
human
Oh, don't be afraid! he said with a laugh.
gpt
I'm not going to _hit_ you!
human
Don't talk like that! she cried.
gpt
Oh! there's uncle coming!