"
He began to temporize directly.
"I own I don't see how it's to be managed--"
She stopped him there.
"I do!"
"What!" he cried out, suspiciously. "You have thought of it yourself,
have you?"
"Yes."
"And planned for it?"
"And planned for it!"
"Why didn't you tell me so before?"
She answered haughtily; insisting on the respect which is due to
women--the respect which was doubly due from _him,_ in her position.
"Because _you_ owed it to _me,_ Sir, to speak first."
"Very well. I've spoken first. Will you wait a little?"
"Not a day!"
The tone was positive. There was no mistaking it. Her mind was made up.
"Where's the hurry?"
"Have you eyes?" she asked, vehemently. "Have you ears? Do you see how
Lady Lundie looks at me? Do you hear how Lady Lundie speaks to me? I am
suspected by that woman. My shameful dismissal from this house may be
a question of a few hours." Her head sunk on her bosom; she wrung her
clasped hands as they rested on her lap. "And, oh, Blanche!" she
moaned to herself, the tears gathering again, and falling, this time,
unchecked. "Blanche, who looks up to me! Blanche, who loves me! Blanche,
who told me, in this very place, that I was to live with her when she
was married!" She started up from the chair; the tears dried suddenly;
the hard despair settled again, wan and white, on her face.
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