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And now I saw she had dried her tears and the hand clasping mine was firm and resolute, so that my love and wonder grew. "Damaris," I cried, casting me on my knees before her, "O God, how I do love thee!" And, kneeling thus, I clasped her slender loveliness, kissing the robes that covered her; and so, rising to my feet I hasted away.
If Charles had consulted me, or shown the least willingness to accept my advice, I should have insisted upon the finishing school. It would have been immensely to Damaris' advantage. I have known all along that the haphazard methods of her education were bound to have deplorable results.
"Avoweth that, wrung by their hellish torments, he made his honor of no account; prayeth for death." Damaris stood upright against the mullioned window. "Where is he?" she asked, and there was that in her voice which a man might not understand. He paused a moment as for consideration, then drew from his doublet a folded paper, gave it to her, and turned aside.
He sat drinking coffee with jolly Sybil Sidmouth and her nerve-stricken stepmother in the lounge of the Savoy Hotel in Assouan just at the moment when Damaris sat herself down on the broken column in the Hypostyle Hall. "Jolly bad luck we've had, haven't we?" said Sybil. Kelham nodded his head. The last post had come in, with nothing for him but a few letters from home.
In the sense of it all Damaris lost herself a little, becoming forgetful of her existing situation. She looked past, over Theresa and beyond. At the extreme end of the church, in the last of the free seats where the light from the west door streamed inward, a man's figure detached itself with singular distinctness from the background of whitewashed wall.
What joins us goes miles, miles deeper and wider than any petty surface things. Must I tell you how much I care? Can't you feel it for yourself?" And she stepped before him on to the upward sloping gangway plank. Damaris threw back the bedclothes, her eyes still dim with slumber, and gathered herself into a sitting position, clasping her knees with both hands.
Thus far Damaris maintained silence, but in passing out on to the landing, she said "Thank you. I am glad to know what has happened." Encouraged by which acknowledgment, the excellent woman ventured further advice. "And now, miss, you must please just lie down on the schoolroom sofa and get a little sleep before the gentlemen and Mr. Hordle arrive back.
For her station in life she was a woman of remarkable qualities and character. She had made an ugly, a repulsive marriage, and she was childless. More than this it is not seemly I should tell you." Charles Verity waited a minute or so. He still coaxed Damaris' hand, calmly, soothingly.
And playfully she put her hand under the girl's chin, drawing the grave face towards her, smilingly studying, then lightly and daintily kissing it. In the course of this affectionate interlude, the string of pearls round Damaris' throat, until now hidden by the V-shaped collar of her soft lawn shirt, caught Henrietta's eye.
And I, lying 'twixt sleep and wake, knew I might not rest until I told her what I had in mind. "Damaris," says I, "this night I lied to you ... I would not have another man in my place ... now or ... ever!" and so sank to sleep.
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