A
life-pledge offered and accepted in front of a window in
Piccadilly!--why, such was the way of comic opera, not of the actual
world. Jests of that kind were all very well in the theatre, but they
were best confined to the stage. And would not Miss Burgoyne understand
that on a momentary impulse he had yielded to a fit of half-sullen
recklessness, and would she not be quite ready and willing to release
him?
But when, according to custom, he went into her room that evening, he
soon became aware that Miss Burgoyne did not at all treat this matter as
a jest.
"See!" she said to him, with a becoming shyness--and she showed him how
cleverly she had covered her engagement-ring with a little band of
flesh-tinted india-rubber, "No one will be able to see it? and I sha'n't
have to take it off at all. Why, I could play Galatea, and not a human
being would notice that the statue was wearing a ring!"
She seemed very proud and pleased and happy, though she spoke in an
undertone, for Jane was within earshot. As for him, he did not say
anything. Of course he was bound to stand by what he had done and suffer
the consequences, whatever they might be.
Pages:
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589