CHAPTER XXXII 469 marry her ."
" DOES she like me ?" he asked .
" Certainly ; better than she likes any one else . She talks of you continually : there is no subject she enjoys so much or touches upon so often ."
" It is very pleasant to hear this ," he said -- " very : go on for another quarter of an hour ." And he actually took out his watch and laid it upon the table to measure the time .
" But where is the use of going on ," I asked , " when you are probably preparing some iron blow of contradiction , or forging a fresh chain to fetter your heart ?"
" Don ' t imagine such hard things . Fancy me yielding and melting , as I am doing : human love rising like a freshly opened fountain in my mind and overflowing with sweet inundation all the field I have so carefully and with such labour prepared -- so assiduously sown with the seeds of good intentions , of self-denying plans . And now it is deluged with a nectarous flood -- the young germs swamped -- delicious poison cankering them : now I see myself stretched on an ottoman in the drawing-room at Vale Hall at my bride Rosamond Oliver ' s feet : she is talking to me with her sweet voice -- gazing down on me with those eyes your skilful hand has copied so well -- smiling at me with these coral lips . She is mine -- I am hers -- this present life and passing world suffice to me . Hush ! say nothing -- my heart is full of delight -- my senses are entranced -- let the time I marked pass in peace ."
I humoured him : the watch ticked on : he breathed fast and low : I stood silent . Amidst this hush the quartet sped ; he replaced the watch , laid the picture down , rose , and stood on the hearth .
" Now ," said he , " that little space was given to delirium and delusion . I rested my temples on the breast of temptation , and put my neck voluntarily under her yoke of flowers . I tasted her cup . The pillow was burning : there