But there can be no reason why you shouldn't speak to her--of
yourself.'
Sidney was descending from the clouds. As the flush of his
humanitarian enthusiasm passed away, and he thought of his personal
relations to Jane, a misgiving, a scruple began to make itself heard
within him. Worldly and commonplace the thought, but--had he a
right to ask the girl to pledge herself to him under circumstances
such as these? To be sure, it was not as if Jane were an heiress in
the ordinary way; for all that, would it not be a proceeding of
doubtful justice to woo her when as yet she was wholly ignorant of
the most important item in her situation? His sincerity was
unassailable, but--suppose, in fact, he had to judge the conduct
of another man thus placed? Upon the heated pulsing of his blood
succeeded a coolness, almost a chill; he felt as though he had been
on the verge of a precipice, and had been warned to draw back only
just in time. Every second showed him more distinctly what his duty
was. He experienced a sensation of thankfulness that he had not
spoken definitely on Saturday evening. His instinct had guided him
aright; Jane was still too young to be called upon solemnly to
decide her whole future.
Pages:
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363