He seemed farther
from her now than before they had met, obstinately adverse to profit by
her friendship, cold and cruel.
"You will come and dine with us very soon, I hope," she said as she rose
to go, "My cousin, Mrs. Pallinson, will be home in a day or two. She has
been nursing her son for the last few days; but he is much better, and I
expect her back immediately. We shall be so pleased to see you; you will
name an early day, won't you? Monday shall we say, or Sunday? You can't
plead business on Sunday."
"My dear Mrs. Branston, I really am not well enough for visiting."
"But dining with us does not come under the head of visiting. We will be
quite alone, if you wish it. I shall be hurt if you refuse to come."
"If you put it in that way, I cannot refuse; but I fear you will find me
wretched company."
"I am not afraid of that. And now I must ask you to forgive me for
having wasted so much of your time, before I say good-morning."
"There has been no time of mine wasted. I have learned to know your
generous heart even better than I knew it before, and I think I always
knew that it was a noble one. Believe me, I am not ungrateful or
indifferent to so much goodness."
He accompanied her downstairs, and through the courts and passages to the
place where she had left her cab, in spite of the ticket-porter, who was
hanging about ready to act as escort.
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