Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/18

8 as little worthy of your regret as she was of your affection. Let her injure you farther: abstract yourself from her, and stand alone."

"And you, Madam," said he sternly, arresting his walk and turning round upon me—"you have injured me too, by this ungenerous concealment!"

There was a sudden revulsion in my feelings. Something rose within me, and urged me to resent this harsh return for my heartfelt sympathy, and defend myself with answering severity. Happily, I did not yield to the impulse. I saw his anguish as suddenly smiting his forehead, he turned abruptly to the window, and, looking upward at the placid sky, murmured passionately, "O God, that I might die!"—and felt that to add one drop of bitterness to that already overflowing cup, would be ungenerous indeed. And yet, I fear there was more coldness than gentleness in the quiet tone of my reply:—

"I might offer many excuses that some would