death from a doctor, had no right to make love to a
woman. That may be so. But in love there isn't often any question of
right. Human instincts have no regard for human justice, and when the
instinct is strong enough, the sense of justice simply ceases to exist
for it. When you're in love--enough--you don't argue. You desire--that's
all.

To my amazement, she came to the flat. When she was announced, I could
scarcely tell the servant to show her in, and when she entered, I
couldn't speak at all for a moment. She was so--however, I won't
describe her. I couldn't, for one thing. No one could describe that
woman. She didn't make any fuss. She didn't cry out that she had ruined
her reputation or anything like that. She simply said that she had
received my letter, and that she had believed the sincerity of my
threat, while regretting it, and what did I wish to say to her--she
wouldn't be able to stay long. It goes without saying I couldn't begin.
I couldn't frame a sentence. So I suggested we should have some tea.
Accordingly, we had some tea. She poured it out, and we discussed the
furniture of the drawing-room. I might have known she had fine taste in
furniture. She had. When tea was over, she seemed to be getting a little
impatient. Then I rang for the tray to be removed, and as soon as we
were alone again, I started: 'Miss Payne--'

Now, when I started like that, I hadn't the ghost of a notion what I was
going to say. And then the idea stepped into my head all of a sudden:
'Why not tell her exactly what your situation is? Why not be frank with
her, and see how it works?' It was an inspiration. Though I didn't
believe in it, and thought in a kind of despair that I was spoiling my
chances, it was emphatically an inspiration, and I was obliged to obey
it.

So I told her what Darcy had told me. I explained how it was that I
couldn't live long. I said I had nothing to hope for in this world, no
joy, nothing but blackness and horror. I said how tremendously I was in
love with her. I said I knew she wasn't in love with me, but at the same
time I thought she ought to have sufficient insight to see that I was
fundamentally a decent chap. I went so far as to say that I didn't see
how she could dislike me. And I said: 'I ask you to marry me. It will
only be for a year or two, but that year or two are all my life, while
only a fraction of yours. I am rich, and after my death you will be
rich, and free from the necessity of this d