He is the last
man in the world I would ask a favor of."
"You came here to abuse him behind his back, eh?" asked the lady with
undisguised contempt.
Bassett winced, but kept his temper. "No, Miss Somerset; but you seem
to think I ought to have come to you through Sir Charles. I would not
enter your house if I did not feel sure I shall not meet him here."
Miss Somerset looked rather puzzled. "Sir Charles does not come here
every day, but he comes now and then, and he is always welcome."
"You surprise me."
"Thank you. Now some of my gentlemen friends think it is a wonder he
does not come every minute."
"You mistake me. What surprises me is that you are such good friends
under the circumstances."
"Circumstances! what circumstances?"
"Oh, you know. You are in his confidence, I presume?"--this rather
satirically. So the lady answered, defiantly:
"Yes, I am; he knows I can hold my tongue, so he tells me things he
tells nobody else."
"Then, if you are in his confidence, you know he is about to be
married."
"Married! Sir Charles married!"
"In three weeks."
"It's a lie! You get out of my house this moment!"
Mr. Bassett colored at this insult. He rose from his seat with some
little dignity, made her a low bow, and retired. But her blood was up:
she made a wonderful rush, sweeping down a chair with her dress as she
went, and caught him at the door, clutched him by the shoulder and half
dragged him back, and made him sit down again, while she stood opposite
him, with the knuckles of one hand resting on the table.
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