‘But he never has.’

’We have been like brothers together,—­one brother being very much older than the other, indeed; or like father and son.  I think he should place his hopes elsewhere.’

’What am I to say?  If he have such hope he has not told me.  I think it almost cruel that a girl should be asked in that way.’

’Hetta, I should not wish to be cruel to you.  Of course I know the way of the world in such matters.  I have no right to ask you about Paul Montague,—­no right to expect an answer.  But it is all the world to me.  You can understand that I should think you might learn to love even me, if you loved no one else.’ ...