Anthony Trollope: The Belton Estate

23. CHAPTER XXIII: THE LAST DAY AT BELTON (continued)

'Say that you will wait till you have seen him. Say that I may have a hope a chance; that if he is cold, and hard, and and and, just what we know he is, then I may have a chance.'

'How can I say that when I am engaged to him? Cannot you understand that I am wrong to let you speak of him as you do?'

'How else am I to speak of him? Tell me this. Do you love him?' 'Yes I do.'

'I don't believe it!'

'Will!'

'I don't believe it. Nothing on earth shall make me believe it. It is impossible impossible!'

'Do you mean to insult me, Will?'

'No; I do not mean to insult you, but I mean to tell you the truth. I do not think you love that man as you ought to love the man whom you are going to marry. I should tell you just the same thing if I were really your brother. Of course it isn't that I suppose you love any one else me for instance. I'm not such a fool as that. But I don't think you love him; and I'm quite sure he doesn't love you. That's just what I believe; and if I do believe it, how am I to help telling you?'

'You've no right to have such beliefs.'

'How am I to help it? Well never mind. I won't let you sit there any longer. At any rate you'll be able to understand now that I shall never come to this place any more.' Clara, as she got up to obey him, felt that she also ought never to see it again unless, indeed unless