And as to seeing the
man,--ah, yes if she could do so with her father's assent! She
would not be ashamed to own her great desire to see him. She would
tell her father that all her happiness depended on seeing him, she
would not be coy in speaking of her love. But she would obey her
father.
She had a strong idea that she would ultimately prevail,--and idea
also that that 'ultimately' should not be postponed to some
undefined middle-aged period in her life. As she intended to
belong to Frank Tregear, she thought it expedient that he should
have the best of her days as well as what might be supposed to be
the worst; and she therefore resolved that it would be her duty to
make her father understand that though she would certainly obey
him, she would look to be treated humanely by him, and not to be
made miserable for an indefinite term of years.
The first word spoken between them on the subject,--the first word
after that discussion, began with him and was caused by his
feeling that her present life at Matching must be sad and lonely.
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