You know it isn't like asking him to let one smoke
in his study."
"If I loved a girl," she said, shaking her head and smiling up at him,
"I wouldn't be afraid of the whole world; that's what they say in
books, isn't it? I would be so bold and happy."
"Oh, well, I'm bold enough," said the young man, easily; "if I had not
been, I never would have asked you to marry me; and I'm happy enough--
that's because I did ask you. But what if he says no," continued the
youth; "what if he says he has greater ambitions for you, just as they
say in books, too. What will you do? Will you run away with me? I can
borrow a coach just as they used to do, and we can drive off through
the Park and be married, and come back and ask his blessing on our
knees--unless he should overtake us on the elevated."
"That," said the girl, decidedly, "is flippant, and I'm going to leave
you. I never thought to marry a man who would be frightened at the
very first. I am greatly disappointed."
She stepped back into the drawing-room and pulled the curtains to
behind her, and then opened them again and whispered, "Please don't be
long," and disappeared. He waited, smiling, to see if she would make
another appearance, but she did not, and he heard her touch the keys
of the piano at the other end of the drawing-room.
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