“This certainty seems to have come very suddenly,” said her mother, smiling. “What can you mean, mother?” “I mean that you did not show any decided dislike to him, till within these few hours, my dear.” “Dislike! I don’t feel--I hope I don’t show any dislike--I am sure I should be very ungrateful. On the contrary, it would be impossible for any body, who is good for any thing, to _dislike_ Mr. Gresham.” “Then you can neither like him nor dislike him?--You are in a state of absolute indifference.” “That is, except gratitude--gratitude for all his kindness to Erasmus, and for his partiality to me--gratitude I certainly feel.” “And esteem?” “Yes; to be sure, esteem.” “And I think,” continued her mother, “that before he committed this crime of proposing for you, Rosamond, you used to show some of the indignation of a good friend against those ungrateful people who used him so ill. “Indignation! Yes,” interrupted Rosamond, “who could avoid feeling indignation?” “And pity?--I think I have heard you express pity for poor Mr. Gresham.” “Well, ma’am, because he really was very much to be pitied--don’t you think so?” “I do--and pity--” said Mrs. Percy, smiling. “No, indeed, mother, you need not smile--nor you, Caroline; for the sort of pity which I feel is not--it was merely pity by itself, plain pity: why should people imagine and insist upon it, that more is felt than expressed?” “My dear,” said Mrs. Percy, “I do not insist upon your feeling more than you really do; but let us see--you are in a state of absolute indifference, and yet you feel esteem, indignation, pity--how is this, Rosamond? How can this be?” “Very easily, ma’am, because by absolute indifference, I mean--Oh! you know very well what I mean--absolute indifference as to--” “Love, perhaps, is the word which you cannot pronounce this morning.” “Now, mother! Now, Caroline! You fancy that I love him. But, supposing there were any _if_ in the case on my side, tell me only _why_ I should refuse him?” “Nay, my dear, that is what we wait to hear from you,” said Mrs. Percy. “Then I will tell you why,” said Rosamond: “in the first place, Mr. Gresham has a large fortune, and I have none. And I have the greatest horror of the idea of marrying for money, or of the possibility of its being suspected that I might do so.” “I thought that was the fear!” cried Caroline: “but, my dear Rosamond, with your generous mind, you know it is quite impossible that you should marry from interested motives.” “Absolutely impossible,” said her mother. “And when you are sure of your own mind, it would be weakness, my dear, to dread the suspicions of others, even if such were likely to be formed.” “Oh! do not, my dearest Rosamond,” said Caroline, taking her sister’s hand, pressing it between hers, and speaking in the most urgent, almost supplicating tone, “do not, generous as you are, sacrifice your happiness to mistaken delicacy!”