"If I call on her, then?"
"Oh, no—not the slightest. In the first place, she won't see you. And if she did—oh, no, you must not try—not yet! I think it would make everything worse than it is already."
"Then you see the alternative?—a separation for perhaps two whole years."
"If I know we are going to be so happy at the end of it——"
"Ah—at the end of it! It will be a fine test for you, Rachel."
"Why for me, any more than for you? Oh, don't talk of tests!" she pleaded; "I only want to feel sure I shall never lose you, and I don't mind waiting two years. If only——"
"If only what?"
"If only Mr. Kingston would go away!"
"Now listen to me," he said gently, but with his grave peremptoriness, "you must not let another day pass without breaking off with him. You must send him away, Rachel. I am sorry for him, poor devil, but you couldn't do him a worse wrong than let him go on deceiving himself about you."
"Oh, do you think I would do that? Of course I will not. I can do it now—now that you have come. For now I shall feel strong, and now I can tell them why. I shall write him a letter before I go to bed, and I shall tell Aunt Elizabeth as soon as I have sent it. But what will they say to me? It will be dreadful."