Anthony Trollope: Barchester Towers

42. CHAPTER XLII: ULLATHORNE SPORTS--ACT III (continued)

'Miss Stanhope,' said she haughtily, 'has been contriving for me a great deal of honour, but she might have saved herself the trouble. I an not sufficiently ambitious.'

'Pray don't be angry with her, Mrs Bold,' said he, 'or with me either.'

'Certainly not with you, Mr Stanhope,' said she, with considerable sarcasm in her tone. 'Certainly not with you.'

'No,--nor with her,' said he imploringly.

'And why, may I ask you, Mr Stanhope, have you told me this singular story? For I may presume I may judge by your manner of telling it, that--that--that you and your sister are not exactly of one mind on the subject.'

'No, we are not.'

'And if so,' said Mrs Bold, who was now really angry with the unnecessary insult, which she thought had been offered to her, 'and if so, why has it been worth your while to tell me all this?'

'I did once think, Mrs Bold--that you--that you--'

The widow now again became entirely impassive, and would not lend the slightest assistance to her companion.

'I did once think that you perhaps might--might have been taught to regard me as more than a friend.'

'Never!,' said Mrs Bold, 'never. If I have ever allowed myself to do anything to encourage such an idea, I have been very much to blame,--very much to blame, indeed.'

'You never have,' said Bertie, who really had a good-natured anxiety to make what he said as little unpleasant as possible. 'You never have, and I have seen for some time that I had no chance; but my sister's hopes ran higher. I have not mistaken you, Mrs Bold, though perhaps she has.'

'Then why have you said all this to me?'