oberly? It seems to you a man's way
of loving--and poor at that. But if you imagine I don't love you all
the more for what you have sacrificed for me--no, you didn't say that,
I know, but it comes to the same thing in the end."

She made no answer; and a feeling of discouragement began to creep over
him. He rose to his feet.

"A man who loves a woman as I love you," he said almost violently, "has
only one wish--can have only one. I shall never rest or be thoroughly
happy till you consent to marry me. That you can refuse as you do,
seems to prove that you don't care for me enough."

She put her arms round his neck: her wide sleeves fell back, leaving
her arms bear. "Maurice," she said gently, "why must you worry
yourself?--You know if you are set on our marrying, I'll give way. But
I don't want to be married--not yet. There's plenty of time. It's only
a small matter now; it doesn't seem as if it could make any difference;
and yet it might. The sense of being bound; of some one--no, of the law
permitting us to love each other ... no, Maurice, not yet.--Listen! I'm
older and wiser than you, and I know. Happiness like this doesn't come
every day. Instead of brooding and hesitating, one must seize it while
it's there: it's such a slippery thing; it's gone before you know it.
You can't bind it fast, and say it shall last so and so long. We have
it now; don't let us talk and reason about it.--Oh, to-day, I'm
nervous! Let me make a confession. As a child I had
presentiments--things I foresaw came true, and on the morning of a
misfortune, I've felt such a load on my chest that I could hardly
breathe. Well, to-day, when I came into this room again, it seemed as
if two black wings shut out the sunlight; and I was afraid. The past
weeks have been so unreasonably happy--such happiness mustn't be let
go. Help me to hold it; I can't do it alone. Don't try to make it fast
to the future; while you do that, it's going--do you think one can draw
out happiness like a thread? Oh, help me!--don't let any thing take it
from us. And I will give up everything to it. Only you must always be
beside me, Maurice, and love me. Don't let anything come between us!
For my sake, for my sake!"

In the face of this outpouring, his own opinions seemed of little
matter; his one concern was to ward off the tears that he saw were
imminent. He held her to him, stroked her hair, and murmured words of
comfort. But when she raised her head again, her eyelids