Do pardon me. I ought
never to have taken such a liberty--but I felt--'
She hesitated.
'It was no liberty at all. I dare say the mistake is natural enough
to those who know nothing of Miss Snowdon's circumstances. I myself,
however, have no right to talk about her. But what you have been
told is absolute error.'
Clara walked a few paces aside.
'Again I ask you to forgive me.' Her tones had not the same
clearness as hitherto. 'In any case, I had no right to approach such
a subject in speaking with you.'
'Let us put it aside,' said Sidney, mastering himself. 'We were just
agreeing that I should see your father, and make known your wish to
him.'
'Thank you. I shall tell him, when I go upstairs, that you were the
friend whom I had asked to come here. I felt it to be so uncertain
whether you would come.'
'I hope you couldn't seriously doubt it.'
'You teach me to tell the truth. No. I knew too well your kindness.
I knew that even to me--'
Sidney could converse no longer. He felt the need of being alone, to
put his thoughts in order, to resume his experiences during this
strange hour. An extreme weariness was possessing him, as though he
had been straining his intellect in attention to some difficult
subject.
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