There has been a great deception practised--the exact nature of it I cannot tell you plainly just at present; it is too painful--but it is all over, and I can assure you of my sorrow at having behaved as I did, and of my sincere friendship now as ever.' 'There is nothing I shall value so much as that.

It will make my work at the castle very pleasant to feel that I can consult you about it without fear of intruding on you against your wishes.' 'Yes, perhaps it will.

But--you do not comprehend me.' 'You have been an enigma always.' 'And you have been provoking; but never so provoking as now.

I wouldn't for the world tell you the whole of my fancies as I came hither this evening: but I should think your natural intuition would suggest what they were.' 'It does, Paula.

But there are motives of delicacy which prevent my acting on what is suggested to me.' 'Delicacy is a gift, and you should thank God for it; but in some cases it is not so precious as we would persuade ourselves.' 'Not when the woman is rich, and the man is poor ?' 'O, George Somerset--be cold, or angry, or anything, but don't be like this! It is never worth a woman's while to show regret for her injustice; for all she gets by it is an accusation of want of delicacy.' 'Indeed I don't accuse you of that--I warmly, tenderly thank you for your kindness in coming here to see me.' 'Well, perhaps you do.