He was most anxious to see her, but unwilling to call at the warden's house, and had in truth waylaid her in her private haunts.
"My sister tells me," said he, abruptly hurrying on with his premeditated speech, "my sister tells me that you had a delightful party the other evening.

I was so sorry I could not be there." "We were all sorry," said Eleanor, with dignified composure.
"I believe, Miss Harding, you understand why, at this moment--" And Bold hesitated, muttered, stopped, commenced his explanation again, and again broke down.
Eleanor would not help him in the least.
"I think my sister explained to you, Miss Harding ?" "Pray don't apologise, Mr Bold; my father will, I am sure, always be glad to see you, if you like to come to the house now as formerly; nothing has occurred to alter his feelings: of your own views you are, of course, the best judge." "Your father is all that is kind and generous; he always was so; but you, Miss Harding, yourself--I hope you will not judge me harshly, because--" "Mr Bold," said she, "you may be sure of one thing; I shall always judge my father to be right, and those who oppose him I shall judge to be wrong.

If those who do not know him oppose him, I shall have charity enough to believe that they are wrong, through error of judgment; but should I see him attacked by those who ought to know him, and to love him, and revere him, of such I shall be constrained to form a different opinion." And then curtseying low she sailed on, leaving her lover in anything but a happy state of mind..