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stammered； and her voice sank to the faintest whisper in spite of
her。
'Thank you； dearest；' said Miss Aldclyffe。 'I have prayed too； I
verily believe。 You are a good girl； I think。' Then the expected
question came。
'〃Bless Owen；〃 and whom； did you say？'
There was no help for it now； and out it came。 'Owen and Edward；'
said Cytherea。
'Who are Owen and Edward？'
'Owen is my brother； madam；' faltered the maid。
'Ah； I remember。 Who is Edward？'
A silence。
'Your brother； too？' continued Miss Aldclyffe。
'No。'
Miss Aldclyffe reflected a moment。 'Don't you want to tell me who
Edward is？' she said at last； in a tone of meaning。
'I don't mind telling； only 。 。 。'
'You would rather not； I suppose？'
'Yes。'
Miss Aldclyffe shifted her ground。 'Were you ever in love？' she
inquired suddenly。
Cytherea was surprised to hear how quickly the voice had altered
from tenderness to harshness； vexation； and disappointment。
'YesI think I wasonce；' she murmured。
'Aha！ And were you ever kissed by a man？'
A pause。
'Well； were you？' said Miss Aldclyffe； rather sharply。
'Don't press me to tellI can'tindeed； I won't； madam！'
Miss Aldclyffe removed her arms from Cytherea's neck。 ''Tis now
with you as it is always with all girls；' she said； in jealous and
gloomy accents。 'You are not； after all； the innocent I took you
for。 No； no。' She then changed her tone with fitful rapidity。
'Cytherea； try to love me more than you love himdo。 I love you
more sincerely than any man can。 Do； Cythie： don't let any man
stand between us。 O； I can't bear that！' She clasped Cytherea's
neck again。
'I must love him now I have begun；' replied the other。
'Mustyesmust；' said the elder lady reproachfully。 'Yes； women
are all alike。 I thought I had at last found an artless woman who
had not been sullied by a man's lips； and who had not practised or
been practised upon by the arts which ruin all the truth and
sweetness and goodness in us。 Find a girl； if you can； whose mouth
and ears have not been made a regular highway of by some man or
another！ Leave the admittedly notorious spotsthe drawing…rooms of
societyand look in the villagesleave the villages and search in
the schoolsand you can hardly find a girl whose heart has not been
HADis not an old thing half worn out by some He or another！ If
men only knew the staleness of the freshest of us！ that nine times
out of ten the 〃first love〃 they think they are winning from a woman
is but the hulk of an old wrecked affection； fitted with new sails
and re…used。 O Cytherea； can it be that you； too； are like the
rest？'
'No； no； no；' urged Cytherea； awed by the storm she had raised in
the impetuous woman's mind。 'He only kissed me oncetwice I mean。'
'He might have done it a thousand times if he had cared to； there's
no doubt about that； whoever his lordship is。 You are as bad as I
we are all alike； and Ian old foolhave been sipping at your
mouth as if it were honey； because I fancied no wasting lover knew
the spot。 But a minute ago； and you seemed to me like a fresh
spring meadownow you seem a dusty highway。'
'O no； no！' Cytherea was not weak enough to shed tears except on
extraordinary occasions； but she was fain to begin sobbing now。 She
wished Miss Aldclyffe would go to her own room； and leave her and
her treasured dreams alone。 This vehement imperious affection was
in one sense soothing； but yet it was not of the kind that
Cytherea's instincts desired。 Though it was generous； it seemed
somewhat too rank and capricious for endurance。
'Well；' said the lady in continuation； 'who is he？'
Her companion was desperately determined not to tell his name： she
too much feared a taunt when Miss Aldclyffe's fiery mood again ruled
her tongue。
'Won't you tell me？ not tell me after all the affection I have
shown？'
'I will； perhaps； another day。'
'Did you wear a hat and white feather in Budmouth for the week or
two previous to your coming here？'
'Yes。'
'Then I have seen you and your lover at a distance！ He rowed you
round the bay with your brother。'
'Yes。'
'And without your brotherfie！ There； there； don't let that little
heart beat itself to death： throb； throb： it shakes the bed； you
silly thing。 I didn't mean that there was any harm in going alone
with him。 I only saw you from the Esplanade； in common with the
rest of the people。 I often run down to Budmouth。 He was a very
good figure： now who was he？'
'II won't tell； madamI cannot indeed！'
'Won't tellvery well； don't。 You are very foolish to treasure up
his name and image as you do。 Why； he has had loves before you；
trust him for that； whoever he is； and you are but a temporary link
in a long chain of others like you： who only have your little day
as they have had theirs。'
''Tisn't true！ 'tisn't true！ 'tisn't true！' cried Cytherea in an
agony of torture。 'He has never loved anybody else； I knowI am
sure he hasn't。'
Miss Aldclyffe was as jealous as any man could have been。 She
continued
'He sees a beautiful face and thinks he will never forget it； but in
a few weeks the feeling passes off； and he wonders how he could have
cared for anybody so absurdly much。'
'No； no； he doesn'tWhat does he do when he has thought thatCome；
tell metell me！'
'You are as hot as fire； and the throbbing of your heart makes me
nervous。 I can't tell you if you get in that flustered state。'
'Do； do tellO； it makes me so miserable！ but tell…come tell me！'
'Ahthe tables are turned now； dear！' she continued； in a tone
which mingled pity with derision
'〃Love's passions shall rock thee
As the storm rocks the ravens on high；
Bright reason will mock thee
Like the sun from a wintry sky。〃
'What does he do next？Why； this is what he does next： ruminate on
what he has heard of women's romantic impulses； and how easily men
torture them when they have given way to those feelings； and have
resigned everything for their hero。 It may be that though he loves
you heartily nowthat is； as heartily as a man canand you love
him in return； your loves may be impracticable and hopeless； and you
may be separated for ever。 You； as the weary； weary years pass by
will fade and fadebright eyes WILL fadeand you will perhaps then
die earlytrue to him to your latest breath； and believing him to
be true to the latest breath also； whilst he； in some gay and busy
spot far away from your last quiet nook； will have married some
dashing lady； and not purely oblivious of you； will long have ceased
to regret youwill chat about you； as you were in long past years
will say； 〃Ah； little Cytherea used to tie her hair like thatpoor
innocent trusting thing； it was a pleasant useless idle dreamthat
dream of mine for the maid with the bright eyes and simple； silly
heart； but I was a foolish lad at that time。〃 Then he will tell the
tale of all your little Wills and Wont's and particular ways； and as
he speaks； turn to his wife with a placid smile。'
'It is not true！ He can't； he c…can't be s…so crueland you are
cruel to meyou are； you are！' She was at last driven to
desperation： her natural common sense and shrewdness had seen all
through the piece how imaginary her emotions wereshe felt herself
to be weak and foolish in permitting them to rise； but even then she
could not control them： be agonized she must。 She was only
eighteen； and the long day's labour； her weariness； her excitement；
had completely unnerved her； and worn her out： she was bent hither
and thither by this tyrannical working upon her imagination； as a
young rush in the wind。 She wept bitterly。 'And now think how much
I like you；' resumed Miss Aldclyffe； when Cytherea grew calmer。 'I
shall never forget you for anybody else； as men donever。 I will
be exactly as a mother to you。 Now will you promise to live with me
always； and always be taken care of； and never deserted？'
'I cannot。 I will not be anybody's maid for another day on any
consideration。'
'No； no； no。 You shan't be a lady's…maid。 You shall be my
companion。 I will get another maid。'
Companionthat was a new idea。 Cytherea could not resist the
evidently heartfelt desire of the strange…tempered woman for her
presence。 But she could not trust to the moment's impulse。
'I will stay； I think。 But do not ask for a final answer to…night。'
'Never mind now； then。 Put your hair round your mamma's neck； and
give me one good long kiss； and I won't talk any more in that way
about your lover。 After all； some young men are not so fickle as
others； but even if he's the ficklest； there is consolation。 The
love of an inconstant man is ten times more ardent than that of a
faithful manthat is； while it lasts。'
Cytherea did as she was told； to escape the punishment of further
talk； flung the twining tresses of her long； rich hair over Miss
Aldclyffe's shoulders as directed； and the two ceased conversing；
making themselves up for sleep。 Miss Aldclyffe seemed to give
herself over to a luxurious sense of content and quiet； as if the
maiden at her side afforded her a protection against dangers which
had menaced her for years； she was soon