He might have spared himself all anxiety on this last subject. The
wealth of that India to which he was bound would not have bribed Menie
Gray to have left her father's roof against her father's commands; still
less when, deprived of his two assistants, he must be reduced to the
necessity of continued exertion in his declining life, and therefore
might have accounted himself altogether deserted, had his daughter
departed from him at the same time. But though it would have been her
unalterable determination not to accept any proposal of an immediate
union of their fortunes, Menie could not, with all a lover's power of
self-deception, succeed in persuading herself to be satisfied with
Richard's conduct towards her. Modesty, and a becoming pride, prevented
her from seeming to notice, but could not prevent her from bitterly
feeling, that her lover was preferring the pursuits of ambition to the
humble lot which he might have shared with her, and which promised
content at least, if not wealth.
"If he had loved me as he pretended," such was the unwilling conviction
that rose on her mind, "my father would surely not have ultimately
refused him the same terms which he held out to Hartley. His objections
would have given way to my happiness, nay, to Richard's importunities,
which would have removed his suspicions of the unsettled cast of his
disposition. But I fear--I fear Richard hardly thought the terms
proposed were worthy of his acceptance.
Pages:
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129