"Now," said he, "I have told you everything about myself which I was
bound, as a man of honour, to tell before I--I--I----. In short, you know
what I mean."
"Oh, Lord Fawn!"
"I have told you everything. I owe no money, but I could not afford to
marry a wife without an income. I admire you more than any woman I ever
saw. I love you with all my heart." He was now standing upright before
her, with the fingers of his right hand touching his left breast, and
there was something almost of dignity in his gesture and demeanour. "It
may be that you are determined never to marry again. I can only say that
if you will trust yourself to me--yourself and your child--I will do my
duty truly by you both, and will make your happiness the chief object of
my existence." When she had listened to him thus far, of course she must
accept him; but he was by no means aware of that. She sat silent, with her
hands folded on her breast, looking down upon the ground; but he did not
as yet attempt to seat himself by her. "Lady Eustace," he continued, "may
I venture to entertain a hope?"
"May I not have an hour to think of it," said Lizzie, just venturing to
turn a glance of her eye upon his face.
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