If my presence is disagreeable to you, Miss Murray," he said (for I was looking about me to show how little I cared for him, so he thought I was tired of him, I suppose)--"if my presence is disagreeable to you, Miss Murray, you have only to promise me the favour I named, and I will relieve you at once.

There are many ladies--some even in this parish--who would be delighted to accept what you have so scornfully trampled under your feet.

They would be naturally inclined to hate one whose surpassing loveliness has so completely estranged my heart from them and blinded me to their attractions; and a single hint of the truth from me to one of these would be sufficient to raise such a talk against you as would seriously injure your prospects, and diminish your chance of success with any other gentleman you or your mamma might design to entangle." '"What do your mean, sir ?" said I, ready to stamp with passion.
'"I mean that this affair from beginning to end appears to me like a case of arrant flirtation, to say the least of it--such a case as you would find it rather inconvenient to have blazoned through the world: especially with the additions and exaggerations of your female rivals, who would be too glad to publish the matter, if I only gave them a handle to it.

But I promise you, on the faith of a gentleman, that no word or syllable that could tend to your prejudice shall ever escape my lips, provided you will--" '"Well, well, I won't mention it," said I.

"You may rely upon my silence, if that can afford you any consolation." '"You promise it ?" '"Yes," I answered; for I wanted to get rid of him now.
'"Farewell, then!" said he, in a most doleful, heart-sick tone; and with a look where pride vainly struggled against despair, he turned and went away: longing, no doubt, to get home, that he might shut himself up in his study and cry--if he doesn't burst into tears before he gets there.' 'But you have broken your promise already,' said I, truly horrified at her perfidy.
'Oh! it's only to you; I know you won't repeat it.' 'Certainly, I shall not: but you say you are going to tell your sister; and she will tell your brothers when they come home, and Brown immediately, if you do not tell her yourself; and Brown will blazon it, or be the means of blazoning it, throughout the country.' 'No, indeed, she won't.