At the slightest approach to undue
familiarity, she drew back with a kind of contemptuous surprise
in her face, which utterly perplexed Mr. James Smith. He had not
calculated on that sort of resistance, and he could not see his
way to overcoming it. The weeks passed; the month for which he
had taken the lodgings expired. Time had strengthened the girl's
hold on him till his admiration for her amounted to downright
infatuation, and he had not advanced one step yet toward the
fulfillment of the vicious purpose with which he had entered the
house.
At this time he must have made some fresh attempt on the girl's
virtue, which produced: a coolness between them; for, instead of
taking the lodgings for another term, he removed to his yacht, in
the harbor, and slept on board for two nights.
The wind was now fair, and the stores were on board, but he gave
no orders to the sailing-master to weigh anchor. On the third
day, the cause of the coolness, whatever it was, appears to have
been removed, and he returned to his lodgings on shore. Some of
the more inquisitive among the townspeople observed soon
afterward, when they met him in the street, that he looked rather
anxious and uneasy. The conclusion had probably forced itself
upon his mind, by this time, that he must decide on pursuing one
of two courses: either he must resolve to make the sacrifice of
leaving the girl altogether, or he must commit the villainy of
marrying her.
Pages:
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448