But once or twice he found her looking at him, and then there was upon
her face a mingled expression of contempt and irresistible aversion
which chilled him to the marrow.
These qualities were indeed so much more plainly developed towards
himself than they had been before, that at last a conviction which he
at first rejected as incredible forced itself into his mind. This
conviction was, that Belle had disbelieved his denial of the
engagement, and in her eagerness for revenge, must have told Ida the
whole story. The thought made him feel faint. Well, there was but one
thing to be done--face it out.
Once when the Squire's back was turned he had ventured to attempt some
little verbal tenderness in which the word "dear" occurred, but Ida
did not seem to hear it and looked straight over his head into space.
This he felt was trying. So trying did he find the whole entertainment
indeed that about half-past nine he rose and came away, saying that he
had received some bank papers which must be attended to that night.
Now most men would in all human probability have been dismayed by this
state of affairs into relinquishing an attempt at matrimony which it
was evident could only be carried through in the face of the quiet but
none the less vigorous dislike and contempt of the other contracting
party.
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