"Why, of course she does. If he had been paying his addresses to _me_, and that _I_ had grown by his perseverance and _devotion_ to like him, do you think, Thomas Sedley, that although I might give him up in consequence of his misconduct, that I could ever cease to feel the same kind of feeling about him?" And as she put this incongruous case, she held Tom Sedley's arm firmly, showing her bony wrist above her glove; and with her gaunt brown face and saucer eyes turned full upon him, rather fiercely, Tom felt an inward convulsion at the picture of Cleve's adorations at this shrine, and the melting of the nymph, which by a miracle he repressed.
"But _you_ may have more constancy than Agnes," he suggested.
"Don't talk like a _fool_, Thomas Sedley. _Every nice girl_ is the _same_."
"On _no account_. No _nice_ girl could marry him _now_, and an apology would be simply _ridiculous_. _I_ have not spoken to him on the subject, and though I had intended cutting him, my friend Mrs. Splayfoot was so clear that I should meet him just as usual, that I do control the _expression_ of my feelings, and endeavour to talk to him indifferently, though I should like _uncommonly_ to tell him how _odious_ I shall always think him."
"Yes, I remember," said Tom, who had been pondering. "Cleve _did_ tell me, that time--it's more than a year ago now--it was a year in autumn--that he admired Agnes, and used to walk with you on the green every day; he _did_ certainly. I must do him that justice. But suppose Agnes did not show that she liked him, he might not have seen any harm."
"That's the way you men always take one another's parts. I must say, I think it is _odious_!" exclaimed Charity, with a flush in her thin cheeks, and a terrible emphasis.
"But, I say, _did_ she let him see that she liked him?"
"_No_, of _course_ she didn't. No _nice_ girl _would_. But of course he _saw_ it," argued Charity.
"No, she did _not_ show it; there was _nothing_ in _any_thing she _said_ or _did_, that _could_ lead _any_one, by look, or word, or act, to imagine that she liked him. How _can_ you be so _perverse_ and _ridiculous_, Thomas Sedley, to think she'd _show_ her liking? Why, even _I_ don't know it. I never _saw_ it. She's a _great_ deal _too nice_. You don't _know_ Agnes. I should not venture to _hint_ at it myself. Gracious goodness! What a _fool_ you are, Thomas Sedley! Hush."