There is an idea of such a marriage."
"And you are engaged to him?"
"No;--I am not engaged to him."
"Has he asked you?"
"Lady Glencora, I really must say that such a cross-questioning
from one lady to another is very unusual. I have promised not to be
offended, unless I thought that you wished to offend me. But do not
drive me too far."
"Madame Goesler, if you will tell me that I am mistaken, I will beg
your pardon, and offer to you the most sincere friendship which one
woman can give another."
"Lady Glencora, I can tell you nothing of the kind."
"Then it is to be so! And have you thought what you would gain?"
"I have thought much of what I should gain:--and something also of
what I should lose."
"You have money."
"Yes, indeed; plenty,--for wants so moderate as mine."
"And position."
"Well, yes; a sort of position. Not such as yours, Lady Glencora.
That, if it be not born to a woman, can only come to her from a
husband. She cannot win it for herself."
"You are free as air, going where you like, and doing what you like."
"Too free, sometimes," said Madame Goesler.
"And what will you gain by changing all this simply for a title?"
"But for such a title, Lady Glencora! It may be little to you to be
Duchess of Omnium, but think what it must be to me!"
"And for this you will not hesitate to rob him of all his friends, to
embitter his future life, to degrade him among his peers,--"
"Degrade him! Who dares say that I shall degrade him? He will exalt
me, but I shall no whit degrade him.
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