And then she answered him well and prudently, with words which
startled him by their prudent seriousness as coming from her. She
begged his pardon heartily, she said, for any grief which she had
caused him; but yet how was she to he blamed, seeing that she had
known nothing of his feelings? Her father and mother had said
something to her of this proposed marriage; something, but very
little; and she had answered by saying that she did not think Maurice
had any warmer regard for her than of a cousin. After this answer
neither father nor mother had pressed the matter further. As to her
own feelings she could then say nothing, for she then knew nothing;--
nothing but this, that she loved no one better than him, or rather
that she loved no one else. She would ask herself if she could love
him; but he must give her some little time for that. In the
meantime--and she smiled sweetly at him as she made the promise--she
would endeavour to do nothing that would offend him; and then she
added that on that evening she would dance with him any dances that
he liked. Maurice, with a self-denial that was not very wise,
contented himself with engaging her for the first quadrille.
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