He felt himself bound to inform her that he intended to ask Marie
Goesler to be his wife. He might omit to do so till he had asked
the question,--and then say nothing of what he had done should
his petition be refused; but it seemed to him that there would be
cowardice in this. He was bound to treat Lady Laura as his friend
in a special degree, as something more than his sister,--and he was
bound above all things to make her understand in some plainest manner
that she could be nothing more to him than such a friend. In his
dealings with her he had endeavoured always to be honest,--gentle as
well as honest; but now it was specially his duty to be honest to
her. When he was young he had loved her, and had told her so,--and
she had refused him. As a friend he had been true to her ever since,
but that offer could never be repeated. And the other offer,--to the
woman whom she was now accustomed to abuse,--must be made. Should
Lady Laura choose to quarrel with him it must be so; but the quarrel
should not be of his seeking.
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