The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — page 273: what you’re looking at

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

“T have not.” “Then, then you have only to add that you love her still?” “Yes, but - Arabella’s heart beat painfully. “Ah,” she said, “has true love any reservations? You love her, and yet you have something else to say.” “T have. I love her still. But it is not as I loved her. She has convinced me of her constancy to her first affection, that—that - “Yes, yes.” “That being so convinced, I now love her, but with that love a brother might feel for a dear sister, and I almost think it was a kind of preparation to try to awaken in the smouldering fires of her lost love a new passion. She has made me feel that the love of woman once truly awakened is an undying passion and can know no change—no extinction.” “True. Oh, how true!” “T have learnt from her that when once the heart of a young and gentle girl—one in whom there are no evil passions, no world-wise failings nor earthly varieties—is touched by the holy flame of affection, it may consume her being, but it never can be extinguished.” Arabella burst into tears. “Love,” added the colonel, “may be trodden down, but, like truth, it can never be trodden out!” “Never! never!” sobbed Arabella. “Let me go now! Oh, sir, let me go home now?” “One moment!” She trembled, but she sat still. “Only a moment, Arabella, while I tell you that man’s love is different from this. That man can reason upon his affections, and that when the first beauty and excellence upon which he may cast his eyes is denied to his arms, he can look for equal beauty—equal excellence—equal charms of mind and person in another, and “ Arabella tried to go, but somehow she felt spell-bound and could not rise from that garden seat. “And,” added the colonel, “with as pure a passion, man can make an idol of her who can be his, as he approached her who could not.—Miss Wilmot, I love you!” “Oh, no, no—Johanna.” “T do not shrink from the pronunciation of that name; I have said that I loved Johanna. If she had been fancy-free and would have looked upon me with eyes of favour, I would have made her my wife; but such was not to be, and for the same qualities that I loved her, I love you. I am afraid I have not explained my feelings well.” “Oh, yes. That is, I don’t know.” “And now, Miss Wilmot, will you allow me to hope that what I have said to you may not be all in vain? That » “No, no.” “No?” “Allow me to go, now. My mind is too full of the fate of Johanna even to permit me to reject in the language taught—” “Reject?” “Yes,” she said, “reject. I wish you all the happiness this world can afford to you, Colonel Jeffery.” “Then you will be mine?” “No, no, no. Farewell.” She rose, and this time the colonel did not attempt to detain her. He stepped back a pace or two, and bowed, and then rose and walked a pace or two away. Then she turned, and holding out her hand, she cried— “We may—amay be friends.” The colonel took the little hand in silence, but the expression of his face was one of deep chagrin. “Good-bye,” said Arabella. How courageous she had become all of a sudden, as it were. “And is this all?” said Jeffery. “Yes, all. When I see Johanna I will remember you to her.” The colonel bowed again, as he replied— “T shall be much beholden to you, Miss Wilmot, for that kindness.” “And—and I hope you will find—find—that is, meet with some one, who—who don’t chance to know that your love is a kind of second-hand—that is, I don’t mean that, but ah—ah—Yes, that is all.” Arabella was saying too much. The colonel replied gently— “T am truly obliged for the highly explanatory speech just uttered by Arabella Wilmot, whom I have the honour to wish a very good- day.” Arabella trembled. “No, no. Not thus, Colonel Jeffery. We are friends, indeed.” “Remarkable good acquaintances,” said the colonel, as he walked away towards Sir Richard Blunt and Ben. Arabella walked hastily CORniclooo S CO)