ontraryelementsandtryingtosubdueit,hehadofteninsisteduponthewoman'svulgarity,andlackoftaste,andsnobbishness.HethoughtbitterlynowthatthedaughterofthePortugueseandoftheriding-masterhaddoneverywellforherself.
"Really,Ithinkyou'reawfullyunreasonable,"shesaid."Youmightmakeyourselfpleasant."
"Ican't,"hesaid,gravely."Letmegoaway.Youdon'tknowwhatI'vefeltforyou.Inmymadness,IfanciedthatyoumustrealisemyloveIthoughteventhatyoumightcareformealittleinreturn."
"You'requitethenicestboyI'veeverknown.Ilikeyouimmensely."
"Butyoulikethelandedproprietorbetter.You'reverywise.Hecanmarryyou.Good-bye!"
"Idon'twantyoutothinkI'mhorrid,"shesaid,goinguptohimandtakinghisarm.Itwasaninstinctwithhertocaresspeopleandmakethemfondofher."Afterall,it'snotmyfault."
"HaveIblamedyou?I'msorryIhadnorightto."
"Whatareyougoingtodo?"
"Idon'tknow—Icanalwaysshootmyselfifthingsgetunendurable.ThankGod,there'salwaysthatrefuge!"
"Oh,Ihopeyouwon'tdoanythingsilly!"
"Itwouldbeunlikeme,"Jamesmurmured,grimly."I'msodreadfullyprosaicandmatter-of-fact.Good-bye!"
Mrs.WallacewasreallysorryforJames,andshetookhishandaffectionately.Shealwaysthoughtitcostsolittletobeamiable.
"Wemaynevermeetagain,"shesaid"butweshallstillbefriends,Jim."
"Areyougoingtosaythatyou'llbeasistertome,asMarytoldthecurate?"
"Won'tyoukissmebeforeyougo?"
Jamesshookhishead,nottrustinghimselftoanswer.Thelightinhislifehadallgonetherayofsunshinewashiddentheheavycloudshadclosedin,andalltherestwasdarkness.ButhetriedtosmileatMrs.Wallaceashetouchedherhandhehardlydaredlookatheragain,knowingfromoldexperiencehoweveryincidentandeverydetailofherpersonwouldrisetormentinglybeforehisrecollection.Butatlasthepulledhimselftogether.
"I'msorryI'vemadeafoolofmyself,"hesaid,quietly."Ihopeyou'llbeveryhappy.PleaseforgetallI'vesaidtoyou.Itwasonlynonsense.Good-bye!I'llsendyouabitofmywedding-cake."