Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 94: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“I CANNOT MARRY YOU.” 85 Arthur gazed at her; he had never seen her so animated or so earnest. ‘“Gertrude,’’ he said, ‘‘upon my word, I fail to follow you. I have loved you since the day—the hour we met and what is more natural than that I should wish to have you for my wife? Why are you defending yourself? Have I accused you of trifling with me? Unless I do, it would be better, it seems to me, for you to simply give me my an- Swer, which you have kindly done (this was said bitterly) and say no more. I trust lam man enough to keep what- ever harsh opinions of your sex I might have after this to myself. Rest assured, although I have been silly enough to put myself in the unenviable position of rejected suitor, I shall have grace enough to hide my chagrin.”’ ‘‘And forget me?’’ She had turned her face away from him, and in the gath- ering twilight he could see only the outline of her profile. ‘‘And forget you—if I can. But that, you unaerstand, to one of my temperament,’’ with emphasis on the personal pronoun, ‘‘is not a matter of a week.’’ ‘‘But it is best,’’ she spoke in a cold, almost harsh voice. ‘You allow that?’’ ‘‘As you say so,’’ he replied, bowing slightly. ‘‘It is for you to accept or decline—and you have declined. ”’ There was a moment’s silence, and then he spoke again. ‘You have acted according to your own feelings,’’ he continued, ‘‘which is right, of course, and in any case I have no right to complain—that goes without saying. I do not ask whether there is already one who possesses your heart—I might, but I would rather not know. We may have met too late.”’ She made no reply. GOomichbooks (©)