'No, thank you; I want nothing; I have no wish to see anything. I like the
dark.'
'Have you been asleep?'
'No; I have not.... Why do you come to torment me? It cannot matter to you
whether I lie in the dark or the light. Oh, take that candle away! it is
blinding me.' Julia put the candle on the washstand. Then full of pity for
the grieving girl, she stood, her hand resting on the bed-rail.
'Aren't you coming down to dinner, Emily? Come, let me pour out some water
for you. When you have bathed your eyes----'
'I don't want any dinner.'
'It will look very strange if you remain in your room the whole evening.
You do not want to vex him, do you?'
'I suppose he is very angry with me. But I did not mean to vex him. Is he
very angry?'
'No, he is not angry at all; he is merely distressed. You distress him
dreadfully when----'
'I don't know why I should distress him. I'm sure I don't mean to. You know
more about it than I. You are always whispering together--talking about
me.'
'I assure you, Emily, you are mistaken. Mr. Price and I have no secrets
whatever.'
'Why should you tell me these falsehoods? They make me so miserable.'
'Falsehoods, Emily! When did you ever know me to tell a falsehood?'
'You say you have no secrets! Do you think I am blind? You think, I
suppose, I did not see you showing him a ring? You took it off, too; and I
suppose you gave it to him,--an engagement ring, very likely.
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