It seemed to him now to
have been almost impossible that he should ever soberly have thought of
making her his wife. The charm was all gone, and even her prettiness had
in his eyes lost its value. He looked at her, asking himself whether in
truth she was pretty. She had been travelling all day, and perhaps the
scrutiny was not fair. But he thought that even after the longest day's
journey Lucy would not have been soiled, haggard, dishevelled, and
unclean, as was this woman.
Travellers again entered the carriage, and they went on with a crowd of
persons till they reached the platform at which they changed the carriage
for Troon. Then they were again alone, for a few minutes, and Lizzie with
infinite courage determined that she would make her last attempt. "Frank,"
she said, "you know what it is that I mean. You cannot feel that I am
ungenerous. You have made me love you. Will you have all that I have to
give?" She was leaning over close to him, and he was observing that her
long lock of hair was out of curl and untidy, a thing that ought not to
have been during such a journey as this.
"Do you not know," he said, "that I am engaged to marry Lucy Morris?"
"No; I do not know it.
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