And I declared to
myself that, in spite of both our hearts, it should not be so. I had
no money then,--nor had you."
"I would have worked for you."
"Ah, yes; but you must not reproach me now, Phineas. I never deserted
you as regarded your interests, though what little love you had for
me was short-lived indeed. Nay; you are not accused, and shall not
excuse yourself. You were right,--always right. When you had failed
to win one woman your heart with a true natural spring went to
another. And so entire had been the cure, that you went to the first
woman with the tale of your love for the second."
"To whom was I to go but to a friend?"
"You did come to a friend, and though I could not drive out of my
heart the demon of jealousy, though I was cut to the very bone, I
would have helped you had help been possible. Though it had been the
fixed purpose of my life that Violet and Oswald should be man and
wife, I would have helped you because that other purpose of serving
you in all things had become more fixed.
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