For my own personal
satisfaction I have applied a test both to you and Skinner; but that is
all I have done: I have not told dear Julia, nor any of her family; and
now, if you will only listen to me, and do what I entreat you to do, she
shall never know; oh, never."
"Oho!" thought Mr. Hardie, "he comes with a proposal: I'll hear it,
anyway."
He then took a line well known to artful men: he encouraged Alfred to
show his hand; maintaining a complete reserve as to his own; "You say you
did not communicate your illusion about this fourteen thousand pounds to
Julia Dodd that night: May I ask then (without indiscretion) what did
pass between you two?"
"I will tell you, sir. She saw me standing there, and asked me in her own
soft angel voice if I was unhappy. I told her I must be a poor creature
if I could be happy. Then she asked me, with some hesitation I thought,
why I was unhappy. I said, because I could not see the path of honour and
duty clear: that at least was the purport. Then she told me that in all
difficulties she had found the best way was to pray to God to guide her;
and she begged me to lay my care before Him and ask His counsel.
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