If she had a thing about
her that he did not want her to have, couldn't you contrive that he
should know it?"
"What sort of thing? Do you mean another lover, like?"
"No, you gander. If there was anything of that sort I could manage it
myself. But if she had a thing locked up--away from him, couldn't you
manage to show it to him? He's very generous in rewarding, you know."
"I don't want to have anything to do with it," said Souchey, getting up
from his stool and preparing to take his departure. Though he had been
so keen after the sausage, he was above taking a bribe in such a matter
as this.
"Stop, Souchey, stop. I didn't think that I should ever have to ask
anything of you in vain."
Then she put her face very close to his, so that her lips touched his
ear, and she laid her hand heavily upon his arm, and she was very
confidential. Souchey listened to the whisper till his face grew longer
and longer. "'Tis for her soul," said Lotta--"for her poor soul's sake.
When you can save her by raising your hand, would you let her be damned
for ever?"
But she could exact no promise from Souchey except that he would keep
faith with her, and that he would consider deeply the proposal made to
him.
Pages:
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296