"Now, my best of confidantes," said Richard, "I want my cousin Ada to understand that I am not captious, fickle, and wilful about John Jarndyce, but that I have this purpose and reason at my back. I wish to represent myself to her through you, because she has a great esteem and respect for her cousin John; and I know you will soften the course I take, even though you disapprove of it; and--and in short," said Richard, who had been hesitating through these words, "I--I don't like to represent myself in this litigious, contentious, doubting character to a confiding girl like Ada."
I told him that he was more like himself in those latter words than in anything he had said yet.
"Why," acknowledged Richard, "that may be true enough, my love. I rather feel it to be so. But I shall be able to give myself fair-play by and by. I shall come all right again, then, don't you be afraid."
I asked him if this were all he wished me to tell Ada.

"Now," said Richard, "I want my cousin Ada to understand that I am not fickle, and wilful about John Jarndyce, but that I have this purpose. She has a great respect for her cousin John; and I know you will soften the course I take, even though you disapprove of it; and - and in short," said Richard, hesitating, "I - I don't like to represent myself in this litigious, doubting character to a confiding girl like Ada."
I told him that he was more like himself in those latter words than in anything he had said yet.
"Why," acknowledged Richard, "that may be true. But I shall come all right again by and by, don't you fear."
I asked him if this were all he wished me to tell Ada.
