"
David looked blank.
"Dodd, my boy, you are playing the fool in this house."
David looked blanker.
"It is not your fault; you are led into it by one of those sweet
creatures that love to reduce men to the level of their own wisdom.
You are in love, or soon will be."
David colored all over like a girl, and his face of distress was
painful to see.
"You need not look so frightened; I am your friend, not your enemy.
And do you really think others besides me have not seen what is going
on? Now, Dodd, my dear fellow, I am an old man, and you are a young
one. Moreover, I understand the lady, and you don't."
"That is true, sir; I feel I cannot fathom her."
"Poor fellow! Well, but I have known her longer than you."
"That is true, sir."
"And on closer terms of intimacy."
"No doubt, sir."
"Then listen to me. She is all very charming outside, and full of
sensibility outside, but she has no more real feeling than a fish. She
will go a certain length with you, or with any agreeable young man,
but she can always stop where it suits her. No lady in England values
position and luxury more than she does, or is less likely to sacrifice
them to love, a passion she is incapable of. Here, then, is a game at
which you run all the risk. No! leave her to puppies like Kenealy;
they are her natural prey. You must not play such a heart as yours
against a marble taw. It is not an even stake."
David groaned audibly. His first thought was, "Eve says the same of
her.
Pages:
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355