Page:Bianca, or, The Young Spanish Maiden (Toru Dutt).djvu/9

272 something important; shall we go first to a quieter spot?" "This is quiet enough. Say on." And she turned towards him. He had bent his head and with his cane was writing thoughtfully on the ground. He was so long speaking, that she got impatient. "Well?" She said. "Bianca" he said and his voice was very low, and his utterance quick, "will you be my wife? I should be so happy with you." She shook her head, a faint peculiar and rather sad smile parted her lips. "You loved her Walter; Inez was to have been your wife; she has left us all; the angels loved her too; poor Walter!" For he had turned his face away. "Your obligations to papa, I should say your gratitude rather, makes you think that you must marry one of his daughters. With Inez it was different, and all right. She loved you and you loved her." "But I think I love you too Bianca." "Well,I don't love you, I like you, that is all. Yes, I like you very much, as a friend and a brother. If she had lived, poor Walter!" And she placed her hand on his shoulder. He sat down and buried his face in his hands. She sat down too beside him; she saw the tears trickling through his fingers. "Poor fellow! Poor boy!" she murmured; and she took one of his hands in hers. "You loved her as much as that! I did not know it Walter, I thought she loved more than she was loved." Bye and bye he quieted down. "I did not know how much I loved till I lost her!" "And you wanted to marry me Walter, what if I had said yes." And she smiled one little smile to herself. "I should not have been sorry. I should have taken you at your word. Even now you are the woman I should select as a wife if I had to choose from the whole world. You know me and my ways, you can help me in my struggle through life." "Can I? I shall help you as a sister, brother. Walter, you must come to me in your difficulties." Yes indeed, I shall sister Bianca." "Now get up Walter, I must be going home." They walked together a few yards. "There is Maggie coming" said Bianca, shading her eyes; then, as if a new sudden thought had struck her. "Walter that is the girl you ought to marry. She is just the wife for you." "Isn't that Miss Moore?" "Yes! why! you