Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/271

 woman rose by slow and painful steps from the degraded position she held among savages. When savagery gave way to barbarism, force to deceit, man ceased, indeed, to beat the weaker sex, but did not scruple to cheat her. Instead of the fair share of rights justly due to her as a being as highly endowed as himself, though in a different way, he magnanimously handed over to her the savage ornaments with which he no longer deigned to adorn his own person, gilding her real slavery by fine phrases, and veiling his own as real sense of superiority by a tone of insincere adulation that he would have regarded as an insult to his understanding if addressed to himself."

Fearing, perhaps, that she had hurt my feelings by that gentle warning, Reva went on to say,—

"Had I not so much regard for you, Ismar, I would not be so ready to warn you."

"You have, then, some regard for me?"

"Yes," replied she, with the charming frankness of one utterly unaccustomed to deceit or fear: "I think I liked you from the first; and"—here she hesitated for a moment, as if contending with a sudden access of shyness, yet went bravely on, busily occupied meanwhile in the arrangement of some flowers, "if my regard goes on increasing as since then, we shall be—very good friends. But come: it is time to go in."

Near the door we met Hulmar. He could easily read in my face how the matter stood; for, at that moment, I felt supremely happy.

"Is it so?" he inquired of me; but, hardly waiting for my gesture of assent, he stooped, and tenderly kissed his daughter on the forehead.