His strength reduced her to weakness. 'And I am nothing,' she
said.
'Yes, indeed; you are Lady Grex,--whom all women envy, and whom all
men honour.'
'The poorest wretch this day under the sun.'
'Do not say that. You should take shame to say that.'
'I do take shame;--and I do say it. Sir, do you feel what you owe
me? Do you not know that you have made me the wretch I am? How
did you dare to talk to me as you did talk when you were in London?
You tell me that I am Lady Mabel Grex;--and yet you come to me
with a lie on your lips;--with such a lie as that! You must have
taken me for some nursemaid on whom you had condescended to cast
your eye! It cannot be that even you should have dared to treat
Lady Mabel Grex after such a fashion as that! And now you have
cast your eye at this other girl. You can never marry her!'
'I shall endeavour to do so.'
'You can never marry her,' she said, stamping her foot. She had
now lost all the caution which she had taught herself for the
prosecution of her scheme,--all the care with which she had
burdened herself.
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