'That American girl!' she exclaimed starting back, with some show
of sternness on her brow.
'Yes;--that American girl' said Silverbridge.
Then she recovered herself immediately. Indignation natural
indignation, would not serve her turn in the present emergency.
'You know that cannot be. You ought to know it. What will your
father say? You have not dared to tell him. That is so natural,'
she added, trying to appease his frown. 'How possibly can it be
told to him? I will not say a word against her.'
'No; do not do that.'
'But there are fitnesses of things which such a one as you cannot
disregard without preparing yourself for a whole life of
repentance.'
'Look here, Mabel.'
'Well.'
'I will tell you the truth.'
'I would sooner lose all;--the rank I have, the rank that I am to
have, all these lands that you have been looking on; my father's
wealth, would give them all up, sooner than lose her.' Now at any
rate he was a man. She was sure of that now. This was more, very
much more, not only than she had expected from him, but more than
she had thought it possible that his character should have
produced.
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