Bazalgette." This time it was Talboys that hung
back. He objected that the time was not opportune. "I make no
advance," said he; "on the contrary, I seem of late to have lost
ground with your niece."
"Oh, I've seen the sort of distance she has put on; all superficial,
my dear sir. I read it in your favor. I know the sex; they can't elude
me. Pique, sir--nothing on earth but female pique. She is bitter
against us for shilly-shallying. These girls hate shilly-shally in a
man. They are monopolists--severe monopolists; shilly-shally is one of
their monopolies. Throw yourself at her feet, and press her with
ardor; she will clear up directly." The proposed attitude did not
tempt the stiff Talboys. His pride took the alarm.
"Thank you. It is a position in which I should not care to place
myself unless I was quite sure of not being refused. No, I will not
risk my proposal while she is under the influence of this Dodd; he is,
somehow or other, the cause of her coldness to me."
"Good heavens! why, she has been hermetically sealed against him ever
so long," cried Fountain, almost angrily.
"I saw his sister come out of your gate only the other day. Sisters
are emissaries--dangerous ones, too. Who knows? her very coldness may
be vexation that this man is excluded. Perhaps she suspects me as the
cause."
"These are chimeras--wild chimeras. My niece cares nothing for such
people as the Dodds."
"I beg your pardon; these low attachments are the strongest.
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