"Clara, you have not even shaken hands with me! What does it
mean?"

He paused; waiting and watching her. She made no reply. A flash
of the quick temper in him leaped up in his eyes. He repeated his
last words in louder and sterner tones:

"What does it mean?"

She replied this time. His tone had hurt her--his tone had roused
her sinking courage.

"It means, Mr. Wardour, that you have been mistaken from the
first."

"How have I been mistaken?"

"You have been under a wrong impression, and you have given me no
opportunity of setting you right."

"In what way have I been wrong?"

"You have been too hasty and too confident about yourself and
about me. You have entirely misunderstood me. I am grieved to
distress you, but for your sake I must speak plainly. I am your
friend always, Mr. Wardour. I can never be your wife."

He mechanically repeated the last words. He seemed to doubt
whether he had heard her aright.