Diana Carew; Or, for a Woman's Sake (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1876 Excerpt: ... can't love him. Love " (wrathfully): "I am sick of the very name of love And what do girls know about it, pray, if they are modest and properly brought up? I am more convinced every day of my life that the French system is the proper one, --don't allow girls to have a voice in the matter. Lovematches indeed A pretty end they generally come to It is almost always the case that, if you meet with a married couple who dislike each other and quarrel more than usual, it was a foue-match." I do not believe for a moment that these are my dear Mrs. Warrington's real sentiments; only, for some cause or other, she seems to have set her heart upon my marrying Lord Seldon. Indeed, it is a far harder task to encounter all her arguments, her entreaties, her reasons, her insistance, than it was to repel his. Finally she leaves me in anger. What can I do? I would not for the world displease her willingly; and yet the other alternative is simply impossible. I shut myself up in my room: we were engaged to a ball that evening, but I had no heart to go, and my hostess excused me. Then, as I lay on my couch, chewing the cud of fancies that were, alas all bitter, a letter was brought to me. I knew the scrawling hand, more scrawling than ever to-night: the inside was blurred and blotted, but you may depend I looked upon it in no unkind spirit of criticism. "Dearest" (he wrote), --" I know I behaved like a brute this afternoon. I lost my temper, and it was very presumptuous of me to be so sure of you; but somehow I suppose I have been brought up to think I had only to ask and have, and I dare say it will do me good to have a little of the conceit knocked out of me. Only, darling, don't, for God's sake, make up your mind against me; don't settle anything in a hurry. Perhaps after ...