I am not asking questions, but, when I was younger, cynicism usually
hid but ill the scars of heartache. Do not, I pray you, throw yourself
away in the gloom of momentary unhappiness."
Did he guess--about Ned? That I was the one most hurt there? He should
never know that I winced. I shrugged my shoulders, ignoring his fatherly
glance, and faced him with a stare meant to be brazen.
"You do not at the present time believe in sentiment?" he said. "Then I
shall adapt my argument to your whim of practicality, and speak of the
rumours which connect your name with that of young Lord Strathay."
"Oh; that boy!"
"I presume you are right; he does seem to have fallen deeply in love with
you. But--if indeed, you are dazzled by the glamour of a title--do not be
too confident of his fealty. I know men better than you know them, my
dear. Man loves beauty, but he does not always want to marry it. The rare
white swan is admired, but the little brown partridge, clucking as she
marshals her covey of chicks, is the type of the marrying woman. Again, no
man is master of himself. That Strathay wishes to marry you, I can
understand; but, perhaps, when he is not under the spell of your presence,
he falls to wondering how you will pronounce the social shibboleths, and
may let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would.
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