"Never!" he said, "I can never feel anything towards you but--but--what
I must not dare to tell you."
A vivid blush swept over Gwladys's face; but the troubled look
returned, as Ellis, gently taking her hand, led her back to the log of
wood, and sitting beside her, said: "Now, tell me everything."
"I must go a long way back," she said, "and begin with my own
uninteresting affairs. You know that Mrs. Power looks upon me as her
own daughter, and has expressed her intention of leaving me all her
money. Money! hateful money! the one thing I never cared about. I
should be happier far in a little cottage than I am here surrounded by
all these luxuries--it is true, Mr. Ellis, my tastes are simple."
"Certainly, you would grace a cottage or a palace alike," he said,
almost under his breath; "but we must all accept the position in which
we are placed, and do our best in that."
"Well," resumed Gwladys, "I have had three proposals of marriage, and
on each occasion my aunt pressed me to accept the offer. I refused to
do so, unless I were allowed time and opportunity to make the most
exhaustive inquiries as to my disinterested lover's antecedents. My
heart not being touched, I was able to do so dispassionately, and in
each case I discovered something dishonourable in their characters.
One I found was on the brink of pecuniary ruin, I therefore considered
I had a right to think he loved my fortune and not myself. The next,
though a man of honour and probity, I found had such an ungovernable
temper that his own sisters failed to live with him. The third was a
widower. He had broken his wife's heart by his cruelty, and since her
death his life had been one long scene of dissipation. Was it any
wonder that I rejected them all? and learnt to distrust and almost to
hate every man?
"When Valmai came here I soon found out enough of her story to prove to
me, as I thought, that she had been weak where I had been strong; that
she had given her heart, with all its precious love, to one of the same
type of manhood as it had been my ill-fortune to meet; and when, one
evening as I walked here by the lake, a young man followed me and
addressed me as Valmai, the only feeling that rushed into my mind and
possessed my whole being might be expressed in these words--'Here is
the murderer of my sister's happiness; at any risk I will keep him from
her. She is happy and calm now; he shall never again disturb her peace
of mind, if I can help it.' "He was so completely under the illusion that I was Valmai that I had
no occasion to tell a lie, and I only spoke the truth when I told him
that I hated him, and that my greatest desire was never to see his face
again. He was wounded to the quick. I saw it, I realised it all, and,
oh, I felt for him, for there was something open and winsome about
him--something that tempted me to trust him; but I hardened my heart,
and I added him to my list of unworthy men. I left him here and went
into the house, feeling utterly miserable; but I comforted myself with
the thought that I had done Valmai good service. And now--oh, now!--I
am more miserable than ever; for I see what harm I have done. I meant
to do good, Mr. Ellis, believe me. I thought I was doing dear Valmai a
real kindness, and now what shall I do? I have ruined her hopes of
happiness, and I have lost your good opinion and friendship."