"They all want it."
It was not that he refused to take No when it was given to him, but
rather that he did not recognise it, never having encountered it before.
They were now coming round by the pigeon-shooting enclosure, and the
strains of the band announced that the interval for tea had elapsed.
In the distance Lady Mazerod and Edith, attended by the indefatigable
Jack, were keeping a chair for Dora. She slackened her pace. To her the
knowledge had come that the difficulties of life have usually to be met
single-handed. She was not afraid of Arthur, but this was a distinct
difficulty because of the influence he had at his back.
"Arthur," she said, "I think we had better understand each other _now_.
It may save us both something in the future. I cannot help feeling rather
sorry that I must say No. Every girl must feel that. I do not know from
whence the feeling comes. It is a sort of regret, as if something good
and valuable were being wasted. But, Arthur, it _is_ No, and it must
always be No.
Pages:
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238