"
"A lie, uncle; what an expression! Mr. Talboys is a gentleman; he
would not tell a falsehood, I presume."
"Aha! it is true, then, you have encouraged him?"
"A little."
"There, you see; the moment we come from the generalities to facts,
what a simpleton you are proved to be. Come, now, did you or did you
not agree to go in a boat with him?"
"I did, dear."
"That was a pretty strong measure, Lucy."
"Very strong, I think. I can tell you I hesitated."
"Now you see how you have mistaken your own feelings."
Lucy hung her head. "Oh uncle, you call me simple--and look at you!
fancy not seeing why I agreed to go--_dans cette galere._ It was
that Mr. Talboys might declare himself, and so I might get rid of him
forever. I saw that if I could not bring him to the point, he would
dangle about me for years, and perhaps, at last, succeed in irritating
me to rudeness. But now, of course, I shall stay on shore with my
uncle to-morrow. _Qu'irais je faire dana cette galere?_ you have
done it all for me. Oh, my dear, dear uncle, I am so grateful to you!"
She showed symptoms of caressing Mr. Fountain, but he recoiled from
her angrily. "Viper! but no, this is not you. There is a deeper hand
than you in all this. This is that Mrs. Bazalgette's doings."
"No, indeed, uncle."
"Give me a proof it is not."
"With pleasure; any proof that is in my power."
"Then promise me not to marry Mr. Hardie."
"My dear uncle, Mr. Hardie has never asked me.
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