"I owe you so much," therefore said Scrap earnestly, walking
straight up to Briggs, humbled by these thoughts.
He looked at her in wonder. "You owe me?" he said. "But it's I
who--I who--" he stammered. To see her there in his garden . . .
nothing in it, no white flower, was whiter, more exquisite.
"Please," said Scrap, still more earnestly, "won't you clear your
mind of everything except just truth? You don't owe me anything. How
should you?"
"I don't owe you anything?" echoed Briggs. "Why, I owe you my
first sight of--of--"
"Oh, for goodness sake--for goodness sake," said Scrap
entreatingly, "do, please, be ordinary. Don't be humble. Why should
you be humble? It's ridiculous of you to be humble. You're worth
fifty of me."
"Unwise," thought Mr. Wilkins, who was standing there too, while
Lotty sat on the wall. He was surprised, he was concerned, he was
shocked that Lady Caroline should thus encourage Briggs. "Unwise--
very," thought Mr. Wilkins, shaking his head.
Briggs's condition was so bad already that the only course to
take with him was to repel him utterly, Mr. Wilkins considered. No
half measures were the least use with Briggs, and kindliness and
familiar talk would only be misunderstood by the unhappy youth. The
daughter of the Droitwiches could not really, it was impossible to
suppose it, desire to encourage him.
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