"
"You would not deem it so if you loved, or if you could love
me, Sybil," said Morley, mournfully. "Why it's a moment of
deep feeling, and suited for the expression of deep feeling.
You would not have answered thus, if he who had been kneeling
here had been named Egremont."
"He would not have adopted a course," said Sybil, unable any
longer to restrain her displeasure, "so selfish, so indecent."
"Ah! she loves him!" exclaimed Morley, springing on his legs,
and with a demoniac laugh.
There was a pause. Under ordinary circumstances Sybil would
have left the room and terminated a distressing interview, but
in the present instance that was impossible; for on the
continuance of that interview any hope of assisting her father
depended. Morley had thrown himself into a chair opposite
her, leaning back in silence with his face covered; Sybil was
disinclined to revive the conversation about her father,
because she had already perceived that Morley was only too
much aware of the command which the subject gave him over her
feelings and even conduct. Yet time, time now full of terror,
time was stealing on. It was evident that Morley would not
break the silence. At length, unable any longer to repress
her tortured heart, Sybil said, "Stephen, be generous; speak
to me of your friend.
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