Suppose she
summonses you, Dick?'
The noble and dignified legal process whereby maidens right
themselves naturally came into Alice's thoughts. Her brother scouted
the suggestion.
'Emma's not that kind of girl. Besides, I've told you I shall always
send her money. She'll find another husband before long. Lots of men
'ud be only too glad to marry her.'
Alice was not satisfied with her brother. The practical aspects of
the rupture she could consider leniently, but the tone he assumed
was jarring to her instincts. Though nothing like a warm friendship
existed between her and Emma, she sympathised, in a way impossible
to Richard, with the sorrows of the abandoned girl. She was
conscious of what her judgment would be if another man had acted
thus; and though this was not so much a matter of consciousness, she
felt that Richard might have spoken in a way more calculated to aid
her in taking his side. She wished, in fact, to see only his
advantage, and was very much tempted to see everything but that.
'But you can't keep her in the dark any longer,' she urged. 'Why,
it's cruel!'
'I can't tell her,' he repeated monotonously.
Alice drew in her feet. It symbolised retiring within her defences.
She saw what he was aiming at, and felt not at all disposed to
pleasure him.
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