But we must suffer."
"Well, then, I WILL not, for my part, and I will not let you.
If you care for me----"
"You had no right to know it."
"You make it my privilege to keep you from doing wrong for
the right's sake. I'm sorry, with all my heart and soul,
for this error; but I can't blame myself, and I won't deny
myself the happiness I haven't done anything to forfeit.
I will never give you up. I will wait as long as you please
for the time when you shall feel free from this mistake;
but you shall be mine at last. Remember that. I might go
away for months--a year, even; but that seems a cowardly
and guilty thing, and I'm not afraid, and I'm not guilty,
and I'm going to stay here and try to see you."
She shook her head. "It won't change anything? Don't
you see that there's no hope for us?"
"When is she coming back?" he asked.
"I don't know. Mother wants father to come and take
her out West for a while."
"She's up there in the country with your mother yet?"
"Yes."
He was silent; then he said desperately--
"Penelope, she is very young; and perhaps--perhaps she
might meet----"
"It would make no difference. It wouldn't change it
for me."
"You are cruel--cruel to yourself, if you love me,
and cruel to me. Don't you remember that night--before
I spoke--you were talking of that book; and you said it
was foolish and wicked to do as that girl did.
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