The Admiral's Daughter Read Free

through one knee, and he realized—too late—that he had knelt upon a jagged pebble. With an heroic effort, however, he disguised his agony and proceeded at as rapid a rate as possible:
    â€œMy dear Miss Trevor! Surely you cannot mistake my meaning! So much delicacy of feeling must long ago have recognized my admiration for you! One glance must have told you, even on the first day of our acquaintance, what I felt on looking into your eyes! For months I have struggled against my own emotion, weighing the duty of my office against my weakness as a mere man, and at last I could not pretend any longer to be master of myself. A clergyman’s chief joy ought to be in a single-minded pursuit of holiness; but a man—oh, a man, Miss Trevor! A man is not whole until he knows the comfort and joys attendant upon the company of the woman he loves! Ah! What a relief it is, at last to say what is in my heart! Say you will be my wife!”
    Mr. Wayland had a look of sublime ecstasy upon his face as he gazed into the startled countenance of his companion. Unable to grasp her hand on his first attempt, he now made another essay, but Maggie managed just in time to move her arms behind her back.
    â€œMr. Wayland!” she cried out, “what on earth are you doing? Do, do please get up upon your feet! This is a most extraordinary performance! Indeed, sir, you had better get off the ground at once.”
    The curate would no doubt have been glad to oblige her. The ground was certainly very wet, and very cold as well, and the agony of his knee was increasing every moment. But having come this far, he was not about to relent. With a stubborn look, he said,
    â€œI will stay where I am, ma’am, at least until you have heard me out. A man in love has as great a right to kneel upon the ground as any other. Only say you will do me the joy to be my wife, and I will get up as quickly as you like!”
    â€œThen I fear you will be on your knees a great while,” replied Miss Trevor, “for I cannot marry you, though your asking does me great honor.”
    Mr. Wayland was astonished. He thought for a moment as clearly as he could, under the circumstances, and at length stammered, with an incredulous look:
    â€œCan it be you do not wish to marry me? Perhaps you consider the living I hold too paltry for you! It is true I have not a great deal of worldly fortune to offer, but then, I have all the fortune of Heaven! Do not you consider Heaven a greater temptation than this dull earth?”
    Maggie smiled enigmatically. “Is it a place in Heaven you are offering me then, sir? I had thought it was a place at your side.” Her expression might have troubled Mr. Wayland, had he happened to notice it.
    â€œBoth, both, my dearest love!” he now positively wailed, for he thought he could not bear the pain in his knee another moment. “Both by my side on earth, and in Heaven afterward! Oh, do, do, do please say you will be my wife!”
    The misery in Mr. Wayland’s voice was so intense that Maggie, gazing down upon him in astonishment, could not help but be softened. She had never supposed Mr. Wayland had any feeling in his heart greater than a love of his own voice, but now she wondered if she had been mistaken, and regretted having teased him for so many months. His face was twisted up in agony, his eyes were red, as if from crying, and his fingers clenched and unclenched in the air. In a kind voice, she said:
    â€œDear Mr. Wayland, you must not take it so much to heart. I cannot marry you, nor anyone else. I am honored that you would think of me, but my duty is to my father, for I am certain he needs me a great deal more than you. Even had I the desire to marry, I could not. What else could a young lady want, beside the company of her dearest friend, a house of her own, and the freedom to do as she likes? No, no, I cannot marry you, but I thank you for the honor you do me.”
    After some moments of