heart for a girl! No, it was only the young, and especially the young
when not remarkably clever, who broke their hearts for such trifles.
Montfort, indeed--there was a man whose heart could be broken!--whose
happiness could be blasted! Dear Guy Darrell had been only moved, in his
proposals, by generosity. "Something, my dear child, in your own artless
words and manner, that made him fancy he had won your affections unknown
to yourself!--an idea that he was bound as a gentleman to speak out!
Just like him. He has that spirit of chivalry. But my belief is, that
he is quite aware by this time how foolish such a marriage would be, and
would thank you heartily if, at the year's end, he found himself free,
and you happily disposed of elsewhere," &c., &c. The drama advanced.
Mrs. Lyndsay evinced decided pulmonary symptoms. Her hectic cough
returned; she could not sleep; her days were numbered--a secret grief.
Caroline implored frankness, and, clasped to her mother's bosom, and
compassionately bedewed with tears, those hints were dropped into her ear
which, though so worded as to show the most indulgent forbearance to
Darrell, and rather as if in compassion for his weakness than in
abhorrence of his perfidy, made Caroline start with the indignation of
revolted purity and outraged pride. "Were this true, all would be indeed
at an end between us! But it is not true. Let it be proved."

"But, my dear, dear child, I could not stir in a matter so delicate.
I could not aid in breaking off a marriage so much to your worldly
advantage, unless you could promise that, in rejecting Mr. Darrell, you
would accept your cousin. In my wretched state of health, the anxious
thought of leaving you in the world literally penniless would kill me at
once."

"Oh, if Guy Darrell be false (but that is impossible)! do with me all you
will; to obey and please you would be the only comfort left to me."