Am I to return his courtesy by bringing a great
trouble upon him?'
'He seems to be very fond of Miss Boncassen.'
'Will he continue to be fond of her when he has heard this? What
does Isabel say?'
'She says the same as you, of course.'
'Why of course;--except that it is evident to you as it is to me
that she could not with propriety say anything else.'
'I think she would,--would like it, you know.'
'She would like to be your wife!'
'Well;--yes. If it were all serene, I think she would consent.'
'I daresay she would consent,--if it were all serene. Why should
she not? do not try her too hard, Lord Silverbridge. You say you
love her?'
'I do indeed.'
'Then think of the position in which you are placing her. You are
struggling to win her heart.' Silverbridge as he heard this
assured himself that there was no need for any further struggling
in that direction. 'Perhaps you have won it. Yet she may feel that
she cannot become your wife. She may well say to herself that this
which is offered to her is so great, that she does not know how to
refuse it; and may yet have to say, at the same time, that she
cannot accept it without disgrace.
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