Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/205

 to him, and cautiously laid his hand upon his shoulder.

"Mr Hansted," he said in a low voice, "I must say a few words to you … not as your superior, but as a true, fatherly friend. Perhaps, in your present frame of mind, you can hardly look upon me as such, and yet I assure you that is what I am, and I am only thinking of your good. No, no, you must not interrupt me. You must allow me to have my say. I must—do you hear? You don't know at present what you are doing. You are ill, you have been cajoled—seduced—I hardly know what. But I do beg you, with whatever influence I may have over you, to think better of this before it goes any further. Do you hear? you must, you shall! Good God! how can this have come about? Where has your sense been? What do you think your family, your friends, and your whole circle will say? Think better of it, Mr Hansted … think what you are entering upon; do consider what you have at stake"

Emanuel drew back a step to free himself from the Provst's hand, and exclaimed—

"I can't allow you to talk like this, you are not in a position to judge of my conduct here, my joy, or my happiness, and it is useless to talk any more about it."

The Provst bit his lip, and stood a moment looking at him irresolutely. His broad chest heaved, his face was purple, he looked as if a torrent of violent words were choking him, then