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Rhoda Fleming — Volume 4 by George Meredith
page 16 of 117 (13%)

"If I might see her, just as I am leaving England! not before."

"That's not generous," said Robert.

"Isn't it?" she asked like a child.

"Fancy!--to see you she's been longing for, and the ship that takes you
off, perhaps everlastingly, as far as this world's concerned!"

"Mr. Robert, I do not wish to deceive my sister. Father need not be
distressed. Rhoda shall know. I will not be guilty of falsehoods any
more--no more! Will you go to her? Tell her--tell Rhoda what I am. Say
I have been ill. It will save her from a great shock."

She covered her eyes.

"I said in all my letters that my husband was a gentleman."

It was her first openly penitential utterance in his presence, and her
cheeks were faintly reddened. It may have been this motion of her blood
which aroused the sunken humanity within her; her heart leaped, and she
cried "I can see her as I am, I can. I thought it impossible. Oh! I
can. Will she come to me? My sister is a Christian and forgives. Oh!
let me see her. And go to her, dear Mr. Robert, and ask her--tell her
all, and ask her if I may be spared, and may work at something--anything,
for my livelihood near my sister. It is difficult for women to earn
money, but I think I can. I have done so since my illness. I have been
in the hospital with brain fever. He was lodging in the house with me
before. He found me at the hospital. When I came out, he walked with me
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