"
"I don't know who you mean."
"Why, her lover, to be sure."
"Her lover? Lady Bassett's lover!"
"Ay, the young parson."
Wheeler smiled satirically. "You certainly are a good hater. Nothing is
too bad for those you don't like. If that Lady Bassett is not a true
wife, where will you find one?"
"She is the most deceitful jade in England."
"Oh! oh!"
"Ah! you may sneer. So you have forgotten how she outwitted us. Did the
devil himself ever do a cunninger thing than that? tempting a fellow
into a correspondence that seemed a piece of folly on her part, yet it
was a deep diabolical trick to get at my handwriting. Did _you_ see her
game? No more than I did. You chuckled at her writing letters to the
plaintiff _pendente lite._ We were both children, setting our wits
against a woman's. I tell you I dread her, especially when I see her so
unnaturally quiet, after what we have done. When you hook a large
salmon, and he makes a great commotion, but all of a sudden lies like a
stone, be on your guard; he means mischief."
"Well," said Wheeler, "this is all very true, but you have strayed from
the point. What makes you think she has an improper attachment?"
"Is it so very unnatural? He is the handsomest fellow about, she is the
loveliest woman; he is dark, she is fair; and they are thrown together
by circumstances.
Pages:
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306