'It appeared to me, sir, that it did not seem to
suit her,' said the hardly-driven young man. He could not now say
that Mabel had shown a disposition to reject his offer, because as
they had been sitting by the brookside at Killancodlem, even he,
with all his self-diffidence, had been forced to see what were her
wishes. Her confusion, and too evident despair when she heard of
the offer to the American girl, had plainly told her tale. He
could not now plead to his father that Mabel Grex would refuse his
offer. But his self-defence, when first he found that he had lost
himself in love for the American, had been based on that idea. He
had done his best to make Mabel understand him. If he had not
actually offered to her, he had done the next thing to it. And he
had run after her, till he was ashamed of such running. She had
given him no encouragement;--and therefore he had been justified.
No doubt he must have been mistaken; that he now perceived; but
still he felt himself to be justified. It was impossible that he
should explain all this to his father.
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