Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 2.djvu/236

226 tea. Meantime, I earnestly wish I could banish the thoughts of them from your mind—and my own too, for I hate to think of them—yes—even of my dear friend Huntingdon, when I consider the power he possesses over the happiness of one so immeasurably superior to himself, and the use he makes of it—I positively detest the man!"

"You had better not say so to me, then," said I; "for, bad as he is, he is part of myself, and you cannot abuse him without offending me."

"Pardon me, then, for I would sooner die than offend you—But let us say no more of him for the present if you please."

He then entirely changed the subject of discourse, and exerting all his powers to entertain our little circle, conversed on different topics with more than his usual brilliance and fluency, addressing himself, sometimes, exclusively to me, sometimes to the whole trio of ladies. Annabella cheerfully bore her part in the