I
hate to shorten the distance. I stand in awe of my father, and I do not
remember my mother."
"Do not remember?"
"She is so perfect, so superb, so different from me! But she ought to
love her own child!"
"Her own child?"
"And then I do not know the customs of this strange land. Shall I be
obliged to keep an establishment?"
"Keep an establishment?"
"It is very rude to repeat my words so! You oughtn't! Yes, keep an
establishment!"
"I beg your pardon, Mademoiselle."
"No, it is I who am rude."
"Not at all,--but mysterious. I am quite in the dark concerning you."
"Concerning me?"
"Ah, Miss Marguerite, it is my turn now."
"Oh! It must be----This is your mystery, _n'est ce pas?_ Mamma was my
grandmamma. My own mother was far too young when mamma gave her in
marriage; and, to make amends, mamma adopted me and left me her name and
her fortune. So that I am very wealthy. And now shall I keep an
establishment?"
"I should think not," said Mr. Raleigh, with a smile.
"Do you know, you constantly reassure me? Home grows less and less a
bugbear when you speak of it. How strange! It seems as if I had known
you a year, instead of a week.
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