You think I am proud," he
continued; "I am not one-half so proud, sweet, as you. You refuse to
love me--why? Because of your pride. You have some foolish notions that
the difference in our positions should part us. You are quite
wrong--love knows no such difference."
"But the world does," she interrupted.
"The world!" he repeated, with contempt. "Thank Heaven it is not my
master! What matters what the world says?"
"You owe more to the name and honor of your family than to the world,"
she said.
"Of that," he observed, "you must allow me to be the best judge."
She bowed submissively.
"The dearest thing in life to me is the honor of my name, the honor of
my race," said Lord Arleigh. "It has never been tarnished and I pray
Heaven that no stain may ever rest upon it. I will be frank with you,
Madaline, as you are with me, though I love you so dearly that my very
life is bound up in yours. I would not ask you to be my wife if I
thought that in doing so I was bringing a shadow of dishonor on my
race--if I thought that I was in even ever so slight a degree tarnishing
my name; but I do not think so.
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