下载辰思小说免费APP
’O——thatwoman！YouknowaswellasIthatwasallmake-up，andthatIneverforamomentthoughtofher。’
’Ihadanideayouwereacting；butIwasn’tsure。’
’Well，that’snothingnow。Anne，Iwanttorelieveyourlife；tocheeryouinsomeway；tomakesomeamendsformybrother’sbadconduct。Ifyoucannotloveme，likingwillbewellenough。Ihavethoughtovereverysideofitsomanytimes——formonthshaveIbeenthinkingitover——andIamatlastsurethatIdorighttoputittoyouinthisway。ThatIdon’twrongBobIamquiteconvinced。Asfarasheisconcernedwebebothfree。HadInotbeensureofthatIwouldneverhavespoken。Fatherwantsmetotakeonthemill，anditwillpleasehimifyoucangivemeonelittlehope；itwillmakethehousegoonaltogetherbetterifyoucanthinko’me。’
’Youaregenerousandgood，John，’shesaid，asabigroundtearbowledhelter-skelterdownherfaceandhat-strings。
’Iamnotthat；IfearIamquitetheopposite，’hesaid，withoutlookingather。’Itwouldbeallgaintome——Butyouhavenotansweredmyquestion。’
Sheliftedhereyes。’John，Icannot！’shesaid，withacheerlesssmile。’PositivelyIcannot。Willyoumakemeapromise？’
’Whatisit？’
’Iwantyoutopromisefirst——Yes，itisdreadfullyunreasonable，’
sheadded，inamilddistress。’Butdopromise！’
Johnbythistimeseemedtohaveafeelingthatitwasallupwithhimforthepresent。’Ipromise，’hesaidlistlessly。
’Itisthatyouwon’tspeaktomeaboutthisforEVERsolong，’shereturned，withemphatickindliness。
’Verygood，’hereplied；’verygood。DearAnne，youdon’tthinkI
havebeenunmanlyorunfairinstartingthisanew？’
Annelookedintohisfacewithoutasmile。’Youhavebeenperfectlynatural，’shemurmured。’AndsoIthinkhaveI。’
John，mournfully:’Youwillnotavoidmeforthis，orbeafraidofme？Iwillnotbreakmyword。Iwillnotworryyouanymore。’
’Thankyou，John。Youneednothavesaidworry；itisn’tthat。’
’Well，Iamveryblindandstupid。Ihavebeenhurtingyourheartallthetimewithoutknowingit。Itismyfate，Isuppose。Menwholovewomentheverybestalwaysblunderandgivemorepainthanthosewholovethemless。’
Annelaidoneofherhandsontheotherasshesoftlyreplied，lookingdownatthem，’Noonelovesmeaswellasyou，John；nobodyintheworldissoworthytobeloved；andyetIcannotanyhowloveyourightly。’Andliftinghereyes，’ButIdosofeelforyouthatIwilltryashardasIcantothinkaboutyou。’
’Well，thatissomething，’hesaid，smiling。’YousayImustnotspeakaboutitagainforeversolong；howlong？’
’Nowthat’snotfair，’Anneretorted，goingdownthegarden，andleavinghimalone。
Aboutaweekpassed。ThenoneafternoonthemillerwalkeduptoAnneindoors，aweightytopicbeingexpressedinhistread。
’Iwassoglad，myhoney，’hebegan，withaknowingsmile，’toseethatfromthemill-windowlastweek。’Heflunganodinthedirectionofthegarden。
Anneinnocentlyinquiredwhatitcouldbe。
’Jackandyouinthegardentogether，’hecontinuedlayinghishandgentlyonhershoulderandstrokingit。’Itwouldsopleaseme，mydearlittlegirl，ifyoucouldgettolikehimbetterthanthatweathercock，MasterBob。’
Anneshookherhead；notinforciblenegation，buttoimplyakindofneutrality。
’Can’tyou？Comenow，’saidthemiller。
Shethrewbackherheadwithalittlelaughofgrievance。’Howyouallbesetme！’sheexpostulated。’Itmakesmefeelverywickedinnotobeyingyou，andbeingfaithful——faithfulto——’Butshecouldnottrustthatsideofthesubjecttowords。’Whywoulditpleaseyousomuch？’sheasked。
’Johnisassteadyandstaunchafellowaseverblowedatrumpet。
I’vealwaysthoughtyoumightdobetterwithhimthanwithBob。NowI’veaplanfortakinghimintothemill，andlettinghimhaveacomfortabletimeo’tafterhislongknockingabout；butsomuchdependsuponyouthatImustbideabittillIseewhatyourpleasureisaboutthepoorfellow。Mind，mydear，Idon’twanttoforceye；Ionlyjustaskye。’
Annemeditativelyregardedthemillerfromunderhershadyeyelids，thefingersofonehandpl
