Page:Glenarvon (Volume 2).djvu/145

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not presume to imagine that my dancing would be heeded by you:—I could have no motive——" "None but the dear delight of tormenting," said he, "which gave a surprising elasticity to your step, I can assure you. Indubitably had not that impulse assisted, you could not thus have excelled yourself." "If you knew," she said, "what I suffer at this moment you would spare me. Why do you deride me?" "Because, oh Lady Avondale, I dare not—I cannot speak to you more seriously. I feel that I have no right—no claim on you. I dread offending; but to-morrow I shall expiate all; for I leave you to-morrow.—Yes, it must be so. I am going from Ireland. Indeed I was going before I had the misery of believing that I should leave any thing in it I could ever regret." What Calantha felt, when he said this, cannot be described.

"Will you dance the two next dances with me?" said Colonel Donallan, now approaching. "I am tired: will you ex-