"
"Forgive you? you have taken a thorn out of my soul."
"Then I am so glad you summoned courage to speak to me without ceremony.
Mamma would have done better, though; but after all, do not I know her?
my mamma is all goodness and intelligence. And be assured, sir, she does
you justice; and is quite sensible of your _disinterested_ kindness to
dear Edward." With this she was about to retire.
"Ah! But you, Miss Dodd? with whom I have taken this unwarrantable
liberty?" said Hardie imploringly.
"Me, Mr. Hardie? You do me the honour to require my opinion of your
performances: including of course this self-introduction?"
Hardie hung his head; there was a touch of satire in the lady's voice, he
thought.
Her soft eyes rested demurely on him a moment; she saw he was a little
abashed.
"My opinion of it all is that you have been very kind to us; in being
most kind to our poor Edward. I never saw, nor read of anything more
generous, more manly. And then _so_ thoughtful, _so_ considerate, _so_
delicate! So instead of criticising you, as you seem to expect, his
sister only blesses you, and thanks you from the very bottom of her
heart.
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