“Mark, I pray, that I make no charges. Come, let us play openly. You
are too sensible and too practical to hate us--Miss Henrietta and
myself--from gratuitous and purely platonic motives. You hate us because
we are in your way. How are we in your way? Tell me; and, if you will
promise to help us, we--Henrietta and I--pledge ourselves not to stand
in your way.”
Miss Brandon looked as if she could not trust her ears.
“But, sir, this is a bargain, I should say, which you propose?”
“Yes, indeed! And, that there may be no misunderstanding, I will mention
the precise terms: if you will swear to be kind to Henrietta during my
absence, to protect her against violence on the part of her father, and
never to force her to act contrary to her sentiments for me, I will give
you, in return, my word that I shall give up to you, without dispute
and without reserve, the whole immense fortune possessed by Count
Ville-Handry.”
Succumbing to her grief, Miss Brandon seemed to be almost fainting; and
big tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Have I not yet been humiliated sufficiently?” she said in a low voice.
“Must you add shame to shame? Daniel, you think I am very mean.”