Looking, he recoiled and shrank into himself, like a convicted
knave before some queenly accuser. The whole form of the girl seemed to
dilate with indignation. From her proud mouth, arched like a bow, sprang
barbed arrows of scorn that flew straightly and struck home.
"Always I have guessed what you wanted," she went on in that deep,
vibrating tone which had such a rich quiver of anger within it; "but I
never thought you would--" She paused, and a little disdainful laugh
broke from her lips. "You would make _me_ your wife--_me_? You think
_me_ likely to accept such an offer?" And she drew herself up with a
superb gesture, and regarded him fixedly.
"Oh, pride, pride!" murmured the unabashed Dyceworthy, recovering from
the momentary abasement into which he had been thrown by her look and
manner. "How it overcometh our natures and mastereth our spirits! My
dear, my dearest Froeken,--I fear you do not understand me! Yet it is
natural that you should not; you were not prepared for the offer of
my--my affections,"--and he beamed all over with benevolence,--"and I
can appreciate a maidenly and becoming coyness, even though it assume
the form of a repellant and unreasonable anger.
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