"You may need the extra five thousand, George--to make sure of the
thing, and I count on you to patch it up as soon as you can."
He left after that, promising to see into the affair at once, and
telephone me the result--and when he had gone I tried to think over what
it all means?
Alathea did not know of this when I asked her to marry me last week. She
must never know that I am paying, even if that makes matters easy enough
for her to refuse me. The reason of her long silence is because this
fresh trouble has fallen upon them, I am sure. I feel so awfully, not
being able to comfort her. The whole burden upon those young
shoulders.-Just as I wrote that yesterday, Burton came in to say that Miss Sharp
was in the little salon, and wished to see me, and I sent him to pray
her to come in. I rose from my chair to bow to her when she entered, she
never shakes hands. I was awfully pained to see the change in her. Her
poor little white face was thin and woebegone and even her lips pale,
and her air was not so proud as usual.
"Won't you sit down," I said with whatever of homage I could put into my
voice.
She was so humbled and miserable, that I knew she would even have taken
off her glasses if I had asked her to, but of course I would not do
that.
She seemed to find it hard to begin. I felt troubled for her and
started.
"I am awfully glad that you have come back."
She locked her hands together, in the shabby, black suede gloves.
"I have come to tell you that if you will give me twenty-five thousand
francs this afternoon, I will accept your offer, and will marry you."
I held out my hand in my infinite joy, but I tried to control all other
exhibition of emotion.
"That is awfully good of you--I can't say how I thank you," I said in a
voice which sounded quite stern. "Of course I will give you anything in
the world you want." And again I reached for my cheque-book and wrote a
cheque for fifty thousand and handed it to her.
She looked at it, and went crimson.
"I do not want all that, twenty-five thousand is enough. That is the
price of the bargain."
I would not let this hurt me.
"Since you have consented to marry me, I have the right to give you what
I please--you may need more than you have suggested, and I want
everything to be smooth and as you would wish."