ur dear words.
Forgive me! I do love you so! I shall tell you quite frankly why I
was cross. You must never tease me again about Gabriel Norton. I
don't like to be teased at the best of times, and I think it
positively wrong to make love a subject for laughter and nonsense.
You see, I allow that I love him; of course I do, but not as you
imagine. Surely there is a love of spirit to spirit which stands
higher than the material love of man and woman. It is just because
we look upon each other in the first place as human beings, as
comrades on the road of life, that our friendship is a source of
strength and comfort to us. If either were to harbour other
thoughts, all that is beautiful in our intercourse must come to an
end. No, you are silly; you must never say such things again,
promise me that. Why, it is just the very absence of love that
_makes_ our friendship. If only people would believe this, if only
men and women would learn to exchange their thoughts in freedom, to
be simple and open in their dealings with each other, what a much
better world this world would be!

But you are just like the rest; indeed, worse than the rest.
Because, somehow or other, whether it's the fault of your curls or
of your lips, or of your smile, or of your whole sweet self, I know
not, but because no man ever draws near you but what you make a fool
of him, you seem to think all men resemble your victims, all women
you, their bane. No, you don't, though; I malign you. Do you
remember saying to me one day: "Try and make yourself appear a
little silly sometimes, Emilia, do, now! Men never fall in love with
clever women!" And right you were. The only passions I ever inspired
flared through their day in the bosoms of women and boys. Never
mind! I had sooner have Gabriel's friendship than ten thousand of
your lovers; I had sooner see you too, sweet, with such a friend as
he to lean upon, than surrounded as you are now by the foolish and
ugly admiration of worthless men.

There, enough lecturing for the present. It's understood, eh?

Gabriel and Jane Norton have actually been here to tea. What do you
say to that? I must tell you how it came about; it's a long story,
but you shall have it all. The other day, my friend and I were
overtaken by a rain-storm on the heath; we ran as fast as we could
to the Thatched Cottage, and there I remained fully two hours, till
the rain had given over. As Gabriel was very restless and
unmanageable, I sugges