I felt his kiss burning on my lips.
With anger at the fisherman's unfairness, and bitterness at what I felt
to be the mortifying result of my own folly and indiscretion--"Oh," I
exclaimed; "I hate you! I wish you would never speak to me again! I wish
I had fallen into the water."
The fisherman sent the boat leaping on with long strokes. "D----n it!"
he muttered softly: "I wish you had, and I after you!"
We drove for several miles on the way homeward in silence. Then Mr.
Rollin spoke. I had been meditating upon Rebecca, upon my determination
to make my life in Wallencamp one of supreme self-sacrifice and devotion
to duty, and had concluded, in a deeply repentant mind, that this
unpleasant incident at the close of the day was only the natural
consequence of my error in departing from the prescribed limits of my
self-appointed task.
I felt that after this experience it would be unwise for me further to
extend my mission work in Mr. Rollin's behalf. So I answered him but
briefly, and in a tone of martyr-like composure, which I could not help
observing perplexed and irritated him more than anger or the most frigid
silence would have done.
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