Indeed she did wish it, and therefore--" He paused in what he was saying, and felt himself to be on difficult ground.

Her eye was full upon him, and she waited for a moment or two as though expecting that he would finish his words.

But as he did not go on, she finished them for him.
"And therefore you sacrificed your own feelings." Her heart was becoming sore, and she was unable to restrain the utterance of her sarcasm.
"Just so," said he; "or, rather, not exactly that.

I don't mean that I am sacrificed; for, of course, as I have just now said, nothing as regards myself can be more satisfactory.

But yesterday should have been a solemn day to us; and as it was not--" "I thought it very solemn." "What I mean is that I find an excuse in remembering that I was doing what she asked me to do." "What she asked you to do, Fred ?" "What I had promised, I mean." "What you had promised?
I did not hear that before." These last words were spoken in a very low voice, but they went direct to Captain Aylmer's ears.
"But you have heard me declare," he said, "that as regards myself nothing could be more satisfactory." "Fred," she said, "listen to me for a moment.