Lydia looked earnestly and doubtfully at him; and he instinctively
put his head back, as if it were in danger. "You do not understand,
then?" she said. "I will test the genuineness of your stupidity by
an appeal to your obedience."
"Stupidity! Go on."
"But will you obey me, if I lay a command upon you?"
"I will go through fire and water for you."
Lydia blushed faintly, and paused to wonder at the novel sensation
before she resumed. "You had better not apologize to my cousin:
partly because you would only make matters worse; chiefly because he
does not deserve it. But you must make this speech to Mrs. Hoskyn
when you are going: 'I am very sorry I forgot myself'--"
"Sounds like Shakespeare, doesn't it?" observed Cashel.
"Ah! the test has found you out; you are only acting after all. But
that does not alter my opinion that you should apologize."
"All right. I don't know what you mean by testing and acting; and I
only hope you know yourself. But no matter; I'll apologize; a man
like me can afford to. I'll apologize to your cousin, too, if you
like."
"I do not like. But what has that to do with it? I suggest these
things, as you must be aware, for your own sake and not for mine."
"As for my own, I don't care twopence: I do it all for you. I don't
even ask whether there is anything between you and him."
"Would you like to know?" said Lydia, deliberately, after a pause of
astonishment.
"Do you mean to say you'll tell me?" he exclaimed. "If you do, I'll
say you're as good as gold."
"Certainly I will tell you. There is an old friendship and
cousinship between us; but we are not engaged, nor at all likely to
be. I tell you so because, if I avoided the question, you would draw
the opposite and false conclusion."
"I am glad of it," said Cashel, unexpectedly becoming very gloomy.
"He isn't man enough for you. But he's your equal, damn him!"
"He is my cousin, and, I believe, my sincere friend. Therefore
please do not damn him."
"I know I shouldn't have said that. But I am only damning my own
luck."
"Which will not improve it in the least."
"I know that. You needn't have said it. I wouldn't have said a thing
like that to you, stupid as I am."