"Moonlight -" he said. "There is a good large moon, Daisy."
"But Mrs. Sandford -" I said.
"She knows you are your own mistress."
"She thinks I am," I said. "You know better."
"You are mine," said Mr. Thorold, with gentle gravity,
immediately. "You shall command me. Do you say go, Daisy?"
"May I influence you in something else?" I said putting my
hand in his to enforce my words.
"Eh?" said he, clasping the hand. "What, Daisy?"
"Christian, I want you not to write to my father and mother
until I give you leave." I thought I would let go arguing and
try persuasion.
He looked away, and then looked at me; - a look full of
affection, but I saw I had not moved him.
"I do not see how we can settle that, Daisy."
"But you said - you said -"
"What?"
"You said just now, you intimated, that my wishes would have
weight with you."
He laughed a little, a moved laugh, and kissed me. But it was
not a kiss which carried any compromise.
"Weight with me? Yes, a little. But with me, Daisy. They must
not change me into somebody not myself."
"Would that? -"
"If I could be content to have your faith in secret, or to
wait to know if I might have it at all? I must be somebody not
myself, Daisy."
I pondered and felt very grave. Was it true, that Mr. Thorold,
though no Christian, was following a rule of action more noble
and good than I, who made such professions? It was noble, I
felt that. Had my wish been cowardly and political? Must not
open truth be the best way always? Yet with my father and
mother old experience had long ago taught me to hold my tongue
and not speak till the time came. Which was right? I felt that
his rule of action crossed all my inner nature, if it were not
indeed the habit which had become second nature. Mr. Thorold
watched me.
"What is it, Daisy? - my Daisy?" he asked with a tender
inquisitiveness, though looking amused at me.
"I was thinking -" I answered, - "whether you are a great deal
better than I am."
"Think it by all means," he said laughing. "I am certainly a
good deal braver. But what else, Daisy? there was something
else."
"That," said I. "I was thinking of my habit, all my life long,
of keeping things back from my father and mother till I
thought it was safe to show them."
"Are you going to let that habit live? What lessons you will
have to learn, my little Daisy! I could never bear to have my
wife afraid of me."
"Of you!" I said. "I never should." - But there I stopped in
some confusion, which I knew my neighbour enjoyed. I broke up
the enjoyment by standing up and declaring that it was now
time to go.