"
"But I do not," said he, drily.
We walked on in silence for a time; I was much astonished at his
unwonted abruptness; I had almost said rudeness. After a considerable
pause he seemed to recollect himself, and with an effort resuming his
sprightly manner, he said, "well, well, the next thing to keeping
a secret well is, not to desire to possess one--talkativeness and
curiosity generally go together; now I shall make test of you in the
first place, respecting the latter of these qualities. I shall be your
_Bluebeard_--tush, why do I trifle thus; listen to me, my dear
Fanny, I speak now in solemn earnest; what I desire is, intimately,
inseparably, connected with your happiness and honour as well as my
own; and your compliance with my request will not be difficult; it
will impose upon you a very trifling restraint during your sojourn
here, which certain events which have occurred since our arrival, have
determined me shall not be a long one. You must promise me, upon your
sacred honour, that you will visit _only_ that part of the castle
which can be reached from the front entrance, leaving the back
entrance and the part of the building commanded immediately by it, to
the menials, as also the small garden whose high wall you see yonder;
and never at any time seek to pry or peep into them, nor to open the
door which communicates from the front part of the house through the
corridor with the back.
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