The Keepers of the People

1651Lord Lisdor was not to be taken aback; he looked into her smiling eyes, and said, “I’m awfully fond of you, my dear girl: awfully fond!”

1652“Oh, yes; fond” said Ruth contemptuously.

1653“I am; I really am” said Lord Lisdor.

1654“I am aware that I am a desirable person,” said Ruth with a fine disdain.

1655“No: I am really fond of you,” said Lord Lisdor with his most honest air.

1656She looked at him with very searching eyes, and said slowly, “George, you are playing some game.”

1657“I never expected you to play me this trick! I never thought you were one of the women to cry off a bargain!” cried Lord Lisdor in a great, feigned heat.

1658“The bargain theory does not come in here, George. I did not marry you for a home, or money, or position. We married, if ever any one in the world did, for love. And since I have fallen out of love with you, and you have fallen out of love with me, the bargain is off — and it seems to me that outliving apart is positively a concession to—”

1659“Say propriety! Say propriety!” said Lord Lisdor hastily.

1660Ruth laughed.

1661“But when all is said and done, you’re my wife,” said Lord Lisdor.

1662“In England, yes,” said Ruth. “But very likely an English marriage does not hold good in Varandaleel. For anything I know, it would be living in sin,” said Ruth smiling.

1663“It’s no good your mocking at sacred things!” cried Lord Lisdor with a fine, fresh flow of honest indignation. “The fact is you have fallen in love with some one else!”

1664“Why shouldn’t I?” said Ruth.

1665“Oh, I say—” said Lord Lisdor, stopping short with a splendid pretence of speechlessness.

1666Ruth turned, and stretched out her hands, said plaintively, “Well, I must have some one to love me, and to love — you don’t.”

1667“How many more times do you want me to tell you that I’m very fond of you!” cried Lord Lisdor with a sudden touch of real exasperation.

1668“Oh, fond!” said Ruth; and then with reluctant hesitation, “Well, if you’re really fond of me, George, I will be a sister to you;” and she smiled wickedly.

1669“Sister be damned!” said Lord Lisdor. “I want a wife!”

1670“Well, then,” said Ruth clapping her hands, and laughing, “you will have to begin again from the very beginning: fall in love with me, and make me fall in love with you again!”