‘He is very good more than good.’

‘He is very good.’

‘But I do not see that that Of course I know how disinterested he is.’

’Disinterested is a poor word.  It insinuates that in such a matter there could be a question of what people call interest.’

‘And I know, too, how much he honours me.’

’Honour is a cold word.  It is not honour, but love downright true, honest love.  I hope he does honour you.  I believe you to be an honest, true woman; and, as he knows you well, he probably does honour you but I am speaking of love.’  Again Clara was silent.  She knew what should be her argument if she were determined to oppose her cousin’s pleadings; and she knew also she thought she knew that she did intend to oppose them; but there was a coldness in the argument to which she was averse.  ‘You cannot be insensible to such love as that!’ said Mary, going on with the cause which she had in hand.

‘You say that he is fond of me.’

‘Fond of you!  I have not used such trifling expressions as that.’

‘That he loves me.’

’You know he loves you.  Have you ever doubted a word that he has spoken to you on any subject?’

‘I believe he speaks truly.’

‘You know he speaks truly.  He is the very soul of truth.’

‘But, Mary’

’Well, Clara!  But remember; do not answer me lightly.  Do not play with a man’s heart because you have it in your power.’

’You wrong me.  I could never do like that.  You tell me that he loves me but what if I do not love him?  Love will not be constrained.  Am I to say that I love him because I believe that he loves me?’

This was the argument, and Clara found herself driven to use it not so much from its special applicability to herself, as on account of its general fitness.  Whether it did or did not apply to herself she had no time to ask herself at that moment; but she felt that no man could have a right to claim a woman’s hand on the strength of his own love unless he had been able to win her love.  She was arguing on behalf of women in general rather than on her own behalf.

’If you mean to tell me that you cannot love him, of course I must give over,’ said Mary, not caring at all for men and women in general, but full of anxiety for her brother.  ’Do you mean to say that that you can never love him?’ It almost seemed, from her face, that she was determined utterly to quarrel with her new-found cousin to quarrel and to go at once away if she got an answer that would not please her.

‘Dear Mary, do not press me so hard.’

’But I want to press you hard.  It is not right that he should lose his life in longing and hoping.’

‘He will not lose his life, Mary.’

’I hope not not not if I can help it.  I trust that he will be strong enough to get rid of his trouble to put it down and trample it under his feet.’  Clara, as she heard this, began to ask herself what it was that was to be trampled under Will’s feet.  ’I think he will be man enough to overcome his passion; and then, perhaps you may regret what you have lost.’