He had always patronised
her, in his superiority to her share of woman's wit. Was that but
another instance of something radically amiss in the terms on which
they had been gliding towards a life-long bondage?
'All this that I say of you is true of me as well, Eddy. Unless it
was, I might not be bold enough to say it. Only, the difference
between us was, that by little and little there crept into my mind
a habit of thinking about it, instead of dismissing it. My life is
not so busy as yours, you see, and I have not so many things to
think of. So I thought about it very much, and I cried about it
very much too (though that was not your fault, poor boy); when all
at once my guardian came down, to prepare for my leaving the Nuns'
House. I tried to hint to him that I was not quite settled in my
mind, but I hesitated and failed, and he didn't understand me. But
he is a good, good man. And he put before me so kindly, and yet so
strongly, how seriously we ought to consider, in our circumstances,
that I resolved to speak to you the next moment we were alone and
grave. And if I seemed to come to it easily just now, because I
came to it all at once, don't think it was so really, Eddy, for O,
it was very, very hard, and O, I am very, very sorry!'
Her full heart broke into tears again. He put his arm about her
waist, and they walked by the river-side together.
'Your guardian has spoken to me too, Rosa dear.
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