Oh, I am
wretched--I am wretched!" She lifted her hands in despair, and began to
cry and sob bitterly.
Fanny was melted at her distress, and knelt to her, and cried with her.
Not being a girl of steady principle, she went round with the wind. "Dear
Zoe," said she, "it is deeper than I thought. La! if you love him, why
torment yourself?"
"No," said Zoe; "it is deceit and mystery that torment me. Oh, what shall
I do! what shall I do!"
Fanny interpreted this vague exclamation of sorrow as asking advice, and
said, "I dare not advise you; I can only tell you what I should do in
your place. I should make up my mind at once whether I loved the man, or
only liked him. If I only liked him, I would turn him up at once."
"Turn him up! What is that?"
"Turn him off, then. If I loved him, I would not let any other woman have
the least little bit of a chance to get him. For instance, I would not
let him know this old sweetheart of his has won three thousand pounds at
least, for I noted her winnings. Diamond cut diamond, my dear. He is
concealing from you something or other about him and this Klosking; hide
you this one little thing about the Klosking from him, till you get my
gentleman safe to England.
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