"Accidentally saw a man" is very cool. You
loved him, remember.'
--'And loved him a little!'
'And refuse now to answer the simple question how it ended. Do
you refuse still, Elfride?'
'You have no right to question me so--you said so. It is unfair.
Trust me as I trust you.'
'That's not at all.'
'I shall not love you if you are so cruel. It is cruel to me to
argue like this.'
'Perhaps it is. Yes, it is. I was carried away by my feeling for
you. Heaven knows that I didn't mean to; but I have loved you so
that I have used you badly.'
'I don't mind it, Harry!' she instantly answered, creeping up and
nestling against him; 'and I will not think at all that you used
me harshly if you will forgive me, and not be vexed with me any
more? I do wish I had been exactly as you thought I was, but I
could not help it, you know. If I had only known you had been
coming, what a nunnery I would have lived in to have been good
enough for you!'
'Well, never mind,' said Knight; and he turned to go. He
endeavoured to speak sportively as they went on. 'Diogenes
Laertius says that philosophers used voluntarily to deprive
themselves of sight to be uninterrupted in their meditations.
Men, becoming lovers, ought to do the same thing.'
'Why?--but never mind--I don't want to know. Don't speak
laconically to me,' she said with deprecation.
'Why? Because they would never then be distracted by discovering
their idol was second-hand.
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