“You don’t know! but why do not you answer, ‘Never!’ as I do,” said Vivian, “to all the fools who ask me the same question?” “Because they say that is your answer, and only _a come off_.” “I can’t help it--Is it my fault if they won’t believe the truth?” “Why, people are apt to trust to appearances in these cases; and if appearances are contrary to your assertions, you should not wonder that you are not believed.” “Well, time will show them their mistake!” said Vivian.--“But I don’t know what appearances you mean.--What appearances are against me?--I never in my life saw a woman I was less disposed to like--whom it would be more impossible for me to love--than Lady Sarah Lidhurst; and I am sure I never gave her, or any of her family, the least reason to imagine I had a thought of her.” “Very likely; yet you are at Lord Glistonbury’s continually, and you attend her ladyship to all public places. Is this the way, do you think, to put a stop to the report that has been raised?” “I care not whether it stops or goes on,” said Vivian.--“How!--Don’t I know it is false?--That’s enough for me.” “It may embarrass you yet,” said Russell. “Good Heavens!--Can you, who know me so well, Russell, fancy me so weak as to be embarrassed by such a report? Look--I would rather put this hand into that fire and let it be burned off, than offer it to Lady Sarah Lidhurst.” “Very likely.--I don’t doubt you think so,” said Russell. “And I would do so,” said Vivian. “Possibly.--Yet you might be embarrassed nevertheless, if you found that you had raised expectations which you could not fulfil; and if you found yourself accused of having jilted this lady, if all her friends were to say you had used her very ill.--I know your nature, Vivian; these things would disquiet you very much: and is it not better to prevent them?” “But neither Lady Sarah nor her friends blame me: I see no signs in the family of any of the thoughts or feelings you suppose.” “Ladies--especially young and fashionable ladies--do not always show their thoughts or feelings,” said Russell. “Lady Sarah Lidhurst has no thoughts or feelings,” said Vivian, “any more than an automaton. I’ll answer for her--I am sure I can do her the justice to proclaim, that she has always, from the first moment I saw her till this instant, conducted herself towards me with the same petrified and petrifying propriety.” “I do not know what _petrified propriety_ exactly means,” said Russell: “but let it mean what it may, it is nothing to the present purpose; for the question is not about the propriety of Lady Sarah Lidhurst’s conduct, but of yours. Now, allowing you to call her ladyship a petrifaction, or an automaton, or by whatever other name you please, still, I apprehend, that she is in reality a human creature, and a woman; and I conceive it is the duty of a man of honour or honesty not to deceive her.”