I told
you down at Willingford that I would quarrel with any man who
attempted to cut me out with Violet Effingham. You made up your mind
that you would do so, and therefore I quarrelled with you. But we
can't always be fighting duels."
"I hope we may not have to fight another."
"No;--it would be absurd," said Lord Chiltern. "I rather think that
what we did was absurd. But upon my life I did not see any other way
out of it. However, that is over. How is it to be now?"
"What am I to say in answer to that?" asked Phineas.
"Just the truth. You have asked her, I suppose?"
"Yes;--I have asked her."
"And she has refused you?"
"Yes;--she has refused me."
"And you mean to ask her again?"
"I shall;--if I ever think that there is a chance. Indeed, Chiltern,
I believe I shall whether I think that I have any chance or not."
"Then we start fairly, Finn. I certainly shall do so. I believe
I once told you that I never would;--but that was long before I
suspected that you would enter for the same plate. What a man says on
such a matter when he is down in the mouth goes for nothing. Now we
understand each other, and you had better go and dress. The bell rang
nearly half an hour ago, and my fellow is hanging about outside the
door."
The interview had in one respect been very pleasant to Phineas, and
in another it had been very bitter.
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