Now I have got
something else to tell you.'
'What is it? You do frighten me so when you look like that.'
'You may well be frightened,--for if this all comes round I shall
very soon be able to dispense with you altogether. His Royal
Highness Lord Silverbridge--'
'What do you mean, Mabel?'
'He's next door to a Royal Highness at any rate, and a much more
topping man than most of them. Well then;--His Serene Highness the
heir of the Duke of Omnium has done me the inexpressible honour of
asking me--to marry him.'
'No!'
'You may well say No. and to tell the exact truth, he didn't.'
'Then why do you say he did?'
'I don't think he did quite ask me, but he gave me to understand
that he would do so if I gave him any encouragement.'
'Did he mean it?'
'Yes;--poor boy! He meant it. With a word;--with a look, he would
have been down there kneeling. He asked me whether I liked him
well enough. What do you think I did?'
'What did you do?'
'I spared him;--out of sheer downright Christian charity! I said
to myself, "Love your neighbours.
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