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James, Henry, 1843-1916

"Roderick Hudson"


Rowland gave a shake negative, to which the Cavaliere responded by a
long, melancholy sigh. "But her mother is determined to force matters,"
said Rowland.
"It seems that it must be!"
"Do you consider that it must be?"
"I don't differ with Mrs. Light!"
"It will be a great cruelty!"
The Cavaliere gave a tragic shrug. "Eh! it is n't an easy world."
"You should do nothing to make it harder, then."
"What will you have? It 's a magnificent marriage."
"You disappoint me, Cavaliere," said Rowland, solemnly. "I imagined you
appreciated the great elevation of Miss Light's attitude. She does n't
love the prince; she has let the matter stand or fall by that."
The old man grasped him by the hand and stood a moment with averted
eyes. At last, looking at him, he held up two fingers.
"I have two hearts," he said, "one for myself, one for the world. This
one opposes Miss Light, the other adores her! One suffers horribly at
what the other does."
"I don't understand double people, Cavaliere," Rowland said, "and I
don't pretend to understand you. But I have guessed that you are going
to play some secret card.


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