"Oh, Rosa!" said Christopher, in a voice of tenderest reproach.
But Mr. Lusignan interfered promptly. "Rosa, no noise. I will not have
you snapping at your best friend and mine. If you are excited, you had
better retire to your own room and compose yourself. I hate a clamor."
Rosa made a wry face at this rebuke, and then began to cry quietly.
Every tear was like a drop of blood from Christopher's heart. "Pray
don't scold her, sir," said he, ready to snivel himself. "She meant
nothing unkind: it is only her pretty sprightly way; and she did not
really imagine a love so reverent as mine"--
"Don't YOU interfere between my father and me," said this reasonable
young lady, now in an ungovernable state of feminine irritability.
"No, Rosa," said Christopher, humbly. "Mr. Lusignan," said he, "I hope
you will tell her that, from the very first, I was unwilling to enter on
this subject with HER. Neither she nor I can forget my double character.
I have not said half as much to her as I ought, being her physician; and
yet you see I have said more than she can bear from me, who, she knows,
love her and revere her. Then, once for all, do pray let me put this
delicate matter into your hands: it is a case for parental authority.
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