"
"It is not my doing, Mr. Maule."
"I suppose she'll see me?"
"If you insist upon it she will; but she would rather not."
Gerard, however, did insist, and Adelaide was brought to him there
into that room before he went to bed. She was very gentle with him,
and spoke to him in a tone very different from that which Lady
Chiltern had used; but he found himself utterly powerless to change
her. That unfortunate allusion to a miserable exile at Boulogne had
completed the work which the former plaints had commenced, and had
driven her to a resolution to separate herself from him altogether.
"Mr. Maule;" she said, "when I perceived that our proposed marriage
was looked upon by you as a misfortune, I could do nothing but put
an end to our engagement."
"But I didn't think it a misfortune."
"You made me think that it would be unfortunate for you, and that is
quite as strong a reason. I hope we shall part as friends."
"I won't part at all," he said, standing his ground with his back to
the fire. "I don't understand it, by heaven I don't.
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