Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 5

Bank, upon one condition. So much, Rhoda had gathered from her uncle's babbling interjections throughout the day. The farmer knew only of the

from it, hoping for it, she entered, and tried to fasten her eyes upon Robert distinctly, telling him the tale. Robert listened with a calculating seriousness

at a warmth had gone, an

consen

can, I s

debating at all upon such a question; and he was in despair before complicated events which gave nothing for h

going ou

ounds of the house, t

e purpose of looking at her window. Rhoda coloured in all h

ide to-morr

pillow's the be

would sleep appeared to

ther wi

what h

se he does

ourse, he wishes it. He's kind enough,

new sensations, unfilial, akin to those which her si

soul!" add

st have great courage. Dahlia can

at awhile as one who was readi

ror of some things-disgrace. And men are so hard on women; and father-I felt for him. And I hated that base

obert to say, "You can't l

farthest in his idea of

Rhoda questioned with her

m capable of giving such counsel to her whom he loved? It smote him with horror and anger; but he was much too manly to

wn mistress," he said, me

a seal of betrothal upon her lips, was absent so that she thought herself loved no more by Robert. She was weary of thinking and acting on her own responsibility, and would gladly have abandoned her will; yet her judgement, if she was still to exercise it, told her that the step she was bidden to take was one, the direct consequence a

o be my own mis

better," observed Robert, and the

The sound was like a whimper; exasperating t

't find the hardshi

rs from her. And he wrote to say that he could tell me about her. My uncle took me once to the Bank. I saw him there first. He spoke of Wrexby, and of

ds lowere

his rival then was the wooer now, rich, and a gentleman. And this room, Robert thought as he

e together. I've had my arm round you. Don't be frightened. That's my marriage, and there was m

startled by the impulse, dropped them, saying

d the words, and grew into a du

ou going: I knew it was for some good

nsitive developing emotion. She hung a moment in languor, a

ery kind,"

onds of time. Enraged at his blindness, and careful, lest he had wrongly guessed, not to expose his regret (the man was a lover), he

I don't understand." (You

new duties." (You have small

worth much." (Know, that

hoda." (You are madly imperi

ond meaning stood shado

furt

(I shall have to than

you not see that there's a

(Behold, I a

u were the first to give

(I am simply

ame? Are you

d been a shelter to her, permitting her to

s dusky rose glowe

and out to her, and

offend you? I reall

The flower

heart by the prospect of a fine marriage, and now b

half clear to me, when you told me about it, that the money was not his

aid Rhoda, vexed at

s. Has your uncle no account of his own at th

money. I kept it, thinking it might be a protection for Dahlia. Oh! my thoughts and what I have done! Of course, I imagined him to be rich. A thousand pounds seemed a great deal to me, and very little for one who was rich.

is, you're goin

myself

money will come from you i

nd how could she have hoped to get the money by any other means? Here at least was a positive escape from perplexity. It came at the right momen

and he said startling

ght the significance,

first to p

rutal to m

used me of that sort of t

"I will wish y

you take

ert did not give up the hand he had got in his own

und," s

rt drew her

me

d. "Rhoda, as I've n

n't ang

as ever k

ev

was compelling the

her lover's meaning. She read all his words as a placard on a board, and revolted from the outrage of submitting her lips to o

e go,

for it was the opening of th

s nightcaps was on his head, surmounted by his hat. A confused recollection of the necessity for trousers, had made him draw on those garments sufficiently to permit of the movement of his short

cle!" Rhoda

ting to the door lea

go off. Never you mind

o to your b

Rhoda's ear, "I don't want t' see th' old farmer." And, as if he had given a conclusive reason for

le. You have seen him.

"I don't want t'

have seen

ing, 'Where away, brother Tony?' 'Where's your banker's book, brother

ling: his imitation of the far

d think of to induce him to return to his bed; nor was

o down. I don't want... You don't want him to look... And I can't count now; I can't count a bit. And every post I see 's a policeman. I ain't hiding. Let 'em take

g for you," said Rho

uire says," Anthony ma

lance behind her. "Come, uncle. Oh! pity! don't let me think your reason'

and cried together, haven't we?" he said. "And counted ants, we have. Shall we sit in the sun together

and went upstairs with her, docile at the pr

. The farmer made no remarks, save that he reckoned Master Gammon was right-in allusion to

ths were shut; any one not looking at them would have been unaware that a supreme conflict was going on in the room. It was a strenuous wrestle of their eyeballs, like the "give way" of athletes pausing. But the delirious beat down the constitutional strength. A hard bright smile ridged the hollow of Dahlia's cheeks. Rhoda's dark ey

having so, seeing that she notoriously possessed intellect; and he had

wilderment. On the point of speaking, he remembered that he had pledged his word to ask no questions; he feared to-that was the secret; he had put his trust in Rhoda's assurance, and shrank from a spoken suspicion. So, checking himself, he broke out upon Mrs. Sumfit: "Now, then, mother!" which caus

een beaten. "Oh, this curse of love!" she thought in her heart; and as Dahlia left the room, flushed, stupefied, and co

grass-knoll, a little beyond the farm-yard, from which she could see green corn-tracts and the pastures by the river, the river flowing oily under summer light, and the slow-footed cows, with th

enter the place, aware only that it was full of pain for her. She accused herself, but could not accept the charge of her having ever hoped for transforming events that should twist and throw the dear old farm-life long back into the fields of memory. Nor could she understand the reason of her continued coolness to Robert. Enough of accurate reflection was given her to perc

she ran down the slope, meeting her father at the gate. He was dressed in his brushed suit, going she knew whither, and when he asked if she had seen her