he pleaded.'Not I.I'm not going to be a message-carrier between any young man and young woman.I'll tell my womankind I forbade you to come near the house, and that you're sorry to go away without bidding good-by.That's all Ishall say.' 'But you do not disapprove? - I see you guess why.Oh! Mr Gibson, just speak to me one word of what must be in your heart, though you are pretending not to understand why I would give worlds to see Molly again before I go.' 'My dear boy!' said Mr Gibson, more affected than he liked to show, and laying his hand on Roger's shoulder.Then he pulled himself up, and said gravely enough, - 'Mind, Molly is not Cynthia.If she were to care for you, she is not one who could transfer her love to the next corner.' 'You mean not as readily as I have done,' replied Roger.'I only wish you could know what a different feeling this is to my boyish love for Cynthia.' 'I wasn't thinking of you when I spoke; but, however, as I might have remembered afterwards that you were not a model of constancy, let us hear what you have to say for yourself.' 'Not much.I did love Cynthia very much.Her manners and her beauty bewitched me; but her letters, - short, hurried letters, - sometimes showing that she really hadn't taken the trouble to read mine through, - I cannot tell you the pain they gave me! Twelve months' solitude, in frequent danger of one's life - face to face with death - sometimes ages a man like many years' experience.Still I longed for the time when I should see her sweet face again, and hear her speak.Then the letter at the Cape! - and still I hoped.But you know how I found her, when I went to have the interview which I trusted might end in the renewal of our relations, - engaged to Mr Henderson.I saw her walking with him in your garden, coquetting with him about a flower, just as she used to do with me.I can see the pitying look in Molly's eyes as she watched me; I can see it now.And I could beat myself for being such a blind fool as to -- What must she think of me?
how she must despise me, choosing the false Duessa.' 'Come, come! Cynthia isn't so bad as that.She's a very fascinating, faulty creature.' 'I know! I know! I will never allow any one to say a word against her.
