I can bear to have you
near me now and think of you only as the hen thinks of her duckling.
For a moment you are out of the pond, and I have gathered you under
my wing. You understand?"
"I know that I am unworthy of what you say of me."
"Worth has nothing to do with it,--has no bearing on it. I do not say
that you are more worthy than all whom I have known. But when did
worth create love? What I want is that you should believe me, and
know that there is one bound to you who will never be unbound, one
whom you can trust in all things,--one to whom you can confess that
you have been wrong if you go wrong, and yet be sure that you will
not lessen her regard. And with this feeling you must pretend to
nothing more than friendship. You will love again, of course."
"Oh, no."
"Of course you will. I tried to blaze into power by a marriage, and
I failed,--because I was a woman. A woman should marry only for
love. You will do it yet, and will not fail. You may remember this
too,--that I shall never be jealous again.
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