"Oh!" she cried, trying to take it away, "your kindness and gratitude
are leading you too far, sir. A hideous old fright like me, instead
of a lovely young thing like her! It is an absurdity."
"Stay, Miss Delavie. Remember that your Aurelia's roses and lilies
were utterly wasted on me; I never thought whether she was beautiful
save when others raved about her. I never saw her till yesterday;
but the voice, the goodness, the amiability, in fact all that I did
truly esteem and prize in her I had already found matured and mellowed
together with that beauty of countenance which is independent of mere
skin-deep complexion and feature. You know my history, and how far
I am from being able to offer you a fresh untouched young heart, such
as my nephew brings to the fair Aurelia; but the devotion of my life
will be yours if you will accept it."
"Sir, I cannot listen to you. You are very good, but I can never
leave my father. Oh, let me go away!"
CHAPTER XXXVII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT.
At last the Queen said, "Girl, I bid thee rise,
For now thou hast found favour in mine eyes,
And I repent me of the misery
That in this place thou hast endured me,
Altho' because of it the Joy indeed
Shall now be mine, that pleasure is thy meed.
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