RODERICK HUDSON
know what my wretch of a girl would do? She would tell the Cavaliere to go about his business—heaven forgive her!—and send me word that if she had a mind to she would roam the woods till midnight. Fancy the Cavaliere coming back and delivering such a message as that before the Prince! Think of a sane young woman making a mess of such a fortune! He would marry her to-morrow at six o'clock in the morning."
"It's certainly very sad," said Rowland.
"That costs you little to say! If you had left your precious young meddler to vegetate in his native village you would have saved me a world of worry."
"Ah, you marched into the jaws of danger," said Rowland. "You came and knocked at poor Hudson's door."
"In an evil hour! I wish to goodness you would talk with him."
"I talk with him a great deal. He 's wonderful," said Rowland, "to talk with."
"I wish then that in common consideration you would take him away. You have plenty of money. Do me a favour. Take him to travel. Go to the East—go to Timbuctoo. Then, when my daughter has accepted her destiny and is settled to it," Mrs. Light added in a moment, "he may come back if he chooses!"
"Does she really care for him?" Rowland abruptly asked.
"The deuce knows whom she really cares for—even to me who have so known and so watched her she 's a living riddle. She has ideas of her own, and
247
