The tone in which she said those words made it impossible, even for

old Mr. Ablewhite, to mistake her any longer. His thermometer went up

another degree, and his voice when he next spoke, ceased to be the voice

which is appropriate to a notoriously good-natured man.

"I am to understand, then," he said, "that your marriage engagement is

broken off?"

"You are to understand that, Mr. Ablewhite, if you please."

"I am also to take it as a matter of fact that the proposal to withdraw

from the engagement came, in the first instance, from YOU?"

"It came, in the first instance, from me. And it met, as I have told

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you, with your son's consent and approval."

The thermometer went up to the top of the register. I mean, the pink

changed suddenly to scarlet.

"My son is a mean-spirited hound!" cried this furious old worldling.

"In justice to myself as his father--not in justice to HIM--I beg to

ask you, Miss Verinder, what complaint you have to make of Mr. Godfrey

Ablewhite?"

Here Mr. Bruff interfered for the first time.

"You are not bound to answer that question," he said to Rachel.

Old Mr. Ablewhite fastened on him instantly.

"Don't forget, sir," he said, "that you are a self-invited guest here.

Your interference would have come with a better grace if you had waited

until it was asked for."

Mr. Bruff took no notice. The smooth varnish on HIS wicked old face

never cracked. Rachel thanked him for the advice he had given to her,

and then turned to old Mr. Ablewhite--preserving her composure in a

manner which (having regard to her age and her sex) was simply awful to

see.

"Your son put the same question to me which you have just asked," she

said. "I had only one answer for him, and I have only one answer for

you. I proposed that we should release each other, because reflection

had convinced me that I should best consult his welfare and mine by

retracting a rash promise, and leaving him free to make his choice

elsewhere."

"What has my son done?" persisted Mr. Ablewhite. "I have a right to know

that. What has my son done?"

She persisted just as obstinately on her side.

"You have had the only explanation which I think it necessary to give to

you, or to him," she answered.

"In plain English, it's your sovereign will and pleasure, Miss Verinder,

to jilt my son?"

Rachel was silent for a moment. Sitting close behind her, I heard

her sigh. Mr. Bruff took her hand, and gave it a little squeeze. She

recovered herself, and answered Mr. Ablewhite as boldly as ever.

"I have exposed myself to worse misconstruction than that," she said.

"And I have borne it patiently. The time has gone by, when you could

mortify me by calling me a jilt."




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