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caress the dog； with ostentatious pity to show my disapproval of his
severity； I heard him say： 'When shall I see you again； Miss Murray？'
'At church； I suppose；' replied she； 'unless your business chances to
bring you here again at the precise moment when I happen to be walking
by。'
'I could always manage to have business here； if I knew precisely
when and where to find you。'
'But if I would； I could not inform you； for I am so immethodical； I
never can tell to…day what I shall do tomorrow。'
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'Then give me that； meantime； to comfort me；' said he； half jestingly
and half in earnest； extending his hand for the sprig of myrtle。
'No； indeed； I shan't。'
'Do！ PRAY do！ I shall be the most miserable of men if you don't。
You cannot be so cruel as to deny me a favour so easily granted and yet so
highly prized！' pleaded he as ardently as if his life depended on it。
By this time I stood within a very few yards of them； impatiently
waiting his departure。
'There then！ take it and go；' said Rosalie。
He joyfully received the gift； murmured something that made her
blush and toss her head； but with a little laugh that showed her displeasure
was entirely affected； and then with a courteous salutation withdrew。
'Did you ever see such a man； Miss Grey？' said she； turning to me； 'I'm
so GLAD you came！ I thought I never SHOULD； get rid of him； and I
was so terribly afraid of papa seeing him。'
'Has he been with you long？'
'No； not long； but he's so extremely impertinent： and he's always
hanging about； pretending his business or his clerical duties require his
attendance in these parts； and really watching for poor me； and pouncing
upon me wherever he sees me。'
'Well； your mamma thinks you ought not to go beyond the park or
garden without some discreet； matronly person like me to accompany you；
and keep off all intruders。 She descried Mr。 Hatfield hurrying past the
park…gates； and forthwith despatched me with instructions to seek you up
and to take care of you； and likewise to warn … '
'Oh； mamma's so tiresome！ As if I couldn't take care of myself。 She
bothered me before about Mr。 Hatfield； and I told her she might trust me：
I never should forget my rank and station for the most delightful man that
ever breathed。 I wish he would go down on his knees to…morrow； and
implore me to be his wife； that I might just show her how mistaken she is
in supposing that I could ever … Oh； it provokes me so！ To think that I
could be such a fool as to fall in LOVE！ It is quite beneath the dignity of
a woman to do such a thing。 Love！ I detest the word！ As applied to
one of our sex； I think it a perfect insult。 A preference I MIGHT
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acknowledge； but never for one like poor Mr。 Hatfield； who has not seven
hundred a year to bless himself with。 I like to talk to him； because he's
so clever and amusing … I wish Sir Thomas Ashby were half as nice；
besides； I must have SOMEBODY to flirt with； and no one else has the
sense to come here； and when we go out； mamma won't let me flirt with
anybody but Sir Thomas … if he's there； and if he's NOT there； I'm bound
hand and foot； for fear somebody should go and make up some
exaggerated story； and put it into his head that I'm engaged； or likely to be
engaged； to somebody else； or； what is more probable； for fear his nasty
old mother should see or hear of my ongoings； and conclude that I'm not a
fit wife for her excellent son： as if the said son were not the greatest
scamp in Christendom； and as if any woman of common decency were not
a world too good for him。'
'Is it really so； Miss Murray？ and does your mamma know it； and yet
wish you to marry him？'
'To be sure； she does！ She knows more against him than I do； I
believe： she keeps it from me lest I should be discouraged； not knowing
how little I care about such things。 For it's no great matter； really： he'll
be all right when he's married； as mamma says； and reformed rakes make
the best husbands； EVERYBODY knows。 I only wish he were not so ugly
… THAT'S all I think about： but then there's no choice here in the country；
and papa WILL NOT let us go to London … '
'But I should think Mr。 Hatfield would be far better。'
'And so he would； if he were lord of Ashby Park … there's not a doubt
of it： but the fact is； I MUST have Ashby Park； whoever shares it with
me。'
'But Mr。 Hatfield thinks you like him all this time； you don't consider
how bitterly he will be disappointed when he finds himself mistaken。'
'NO； indeed！ It will be a proper punishment for his presumption … for
ever DARING to think I could like him。 I should enjoy nothing so much
as lifting the veil from his eyes。'
'The sooner you do it the better then。'
'No； I tell you； I like to amuse myself with him。 Besides； he doesn't
really think I like him。 I take good care of that： you don't know how
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cleverly I manage。 He may presume to think he can induce me to like
him； for which I shall punish him as he deserves。'
'Well； mind you don't give too much reason for such presumption …
that's all；' replied I。
But all my exhortations were in vain： they only made her somewhat
more solicitous to disguise her wishes and her thoughts from me。 She
talked no more to me about the Rector； but I could see that her mind； if not
her heart； was fixed upon him still； and that she was intent upon obtaining
another interview： for though； in compliance with her mother's request； I
was now constituted the companion of her rambles for a time； she still
persisted in wandering in the fields and lanes that lay in the nearest
proximity to the road； and； whether she talked to me or read the book she
carried in her hand； she kept continually pausing to look round her； or gaze
up the road to see if anyone was coming； and if a horseman trotted by； I
could tell by her unqualified abuse of the poor equestrian； whoever he
might be； that she hated him BECAUSE he was not Mr。 Hatfield。
'Surely；' thought I； 'she is not so indifferent to him as she believes
herself to be； or would have others to believe her； and her mother's anxiety
is not so wholly causeless as she affirms。'
Three days passed away； and he did not make his appearance。 On the
afternoon of the fourth； as we were walking beside the park…palings in the
memorable field； each furnished with a book （for I always took care to
provide myself with something to be doing when she did not require me to
talk）； she suddenly interrupted my studies by exclaiming …
'Oh； Miss Grey！ do be so kind as to go and see Mark Wood； and take
his wife half…a…crown from me … I should have given or sent it a week ago；
but quite forgot。 There！' said she； throwing me her purse； and speaking
very fast … 'Never mind getting it out now； but take the purse and give them
what you like； I would go with you； but I want to finish this volume。 I'll
come and meet you when I've done it。 Be quick； will you … and … oh； wait；
hadn't you better read to him a bit？ Run to the house and get some sort
of a good book。 Anything will do。'
I did as I was desired； but； suspecting something from her hurried
manner and the suddenness of the request； I just glanced back before I
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quitted the field； and there was Mr。 Hatfield about to enter at the gate
below。 By sending me to the house for a book； she had just prevented
my meeting him on the road。
'Never mind！' thought