Making love to
a sweet, soft, blushing, willing, though silent girl is a pleasant
employment; but the task of declaring love to a stony-hearted,
obdurate, ill-conditioned Diana is very disagreeable for any
gentleman. And it is the more so when the gentleman really loves,--or
thinks that he loves,--his Diana. Mr. Spooner did believe himself
to be verily in love. Having sighed, he began: "Miss Palliser, this
opportunity of declaring to you the state of my heart is too valuable
to allow me to give it up without--without using it."
"It can't be of any use."
"Oh, Miss Palliser,--if you knew my feelings!"
"But I know my own."
"They may change, Miss Palliser."
"No, they can't."
"Don't say that, Miss Palliser."
"But I do say it. I say it over and over again. I don't know what any
gentleman can gain by persecuting a lady. You oughtn't to have been
shown up here at all."
Mr. Spooner knew well that women have been won even at the tenth time
of asking, and this with him was only the third. "I think if you knew
my heart--" he commenced.
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