Fair Margaret - Page 101/206

'It would be much harder if I did not take pains,' he answered gravely.

'Now you know my secret, but don't betray me.' 'Not for worlds!' They both laughed a little, and their eyes met.

'But just now, I'm in a very awkward position about that,' Logotheti

continued. I cannot afford to sacrifice my reputation as a lucky fool,

and yet I want you to think me a marvel of cleverness, good taste and

perfection in every way.' 'Is that all?' asked Margaret, more and more amused.

'Almost all. You see I know perfectly well that I cannot surprise you

into falling in love with me---- Yes, she's sound asleep! The ideal

chaperon, isn't she?' 'I don't know,' Margaret answered lightly, and she glanced at Madame De

Rosa, as if she thought of waking her.

'Excuse me, you do; for if I were "some one else" you would be

delighted that she should be asleep. But that's not the question. As I

cannot surprise you into--there's no harm in saying it!--into loving

me, I'm driven to use what they call the "arts of persuasion"! But in

order to persuade, it's necessary to inspire confidence. Do you

understand?' 'Vaguely!' 'Have I succeeded at all?' His voice changed suddenly as he asked the

question.

'I don't know why I should distrust you, I'm sure,' Margaret answered

gravely. 'You are certainly very outspoken,' she continued more

lightly, as if wishing to keep the conversation from growing serious.

'In fact, I never knew anything like your frankness!' 'I'm in earnest, and I don't wish to leave the least doubt in your

mind. You are the first woman I have ever met whom I wanted to marry,

and you are likely to be the last. I'm not a boy and I know the world

as you can never know it, even if you insist upon going on the stage.

I'm not amazingly young, for I'm five-and-thirty, and I suppose I have

had as large a share of what the world holds as most rich men. That is

my position. Until I met you, I thought I had really had everything.

When I knew you I found that I had never had the only thing worth

having at all.' He spoke quietly, without the least affectation of feeling, or the

smallest apparent attempt to make an impression upon her; but it was

impossible not to believe that he was speaking the truth. Margaret was

silent, and looked steadily at an imaginary point in the distance.