But though it would have been her unalterable
determination not to accept any proposal of
an immediate union of their fortunes, Menie could
not, with all a lover's power of self-deception, succeed
in persuading herself to be satisfied with
Richard's conduct towards her. Modesty, and a
becoming pride, prevented her from seeming to
notice, but could not prevent her from bitterly
feeling, that her lover was preferring the pursuits
of ambition to the humble lot which he might have
shared with her, and which promised content at
least, if not wealth.
``If he had loved me as he pretended,'' such was
the unwilling conviction that rose on her mind, ``my
father would surely not have ultimately refused
him the same terms which he held out to Hartley.
His objections would have given way to my happiness,
nay, to Richard's importunities, which
would have removed his suspicions of the unsettled
cast of his disposition. But I fear---I fear Richard
hardly thought the terms proposed were worthy
of his acceptance. Would it not have been natural
too, that he should have asked me, engaged as we
stand to each other, to have united our fate before
his quitting Europe, when I might either have remained
here with my father, or accompanied him
to India, in quest of that fortune which he is so
eagerly pushing for? It would have been wrong
---very wrong---in me to have consented to such a
proposal, unless my father had authorized it; but
surely it would have been natural that Richard
should have offered it? Alas! men do not know
how to love like women.
Pages:
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532