"Circumstances may change."
"That is, your father may die. I suppose you and your wife have talked over that probability. Beatrice will be able to endure the climate then."
"If I did not see that you were under very strong excitement, Charlotte, I should be much offended by what you say. But you don't mean to hurt me. Do you imagine that I feel no sorrow in leaving father and my mother and you and the old home? My heart is very sad to-night, Charley. I feel that I shall come here no more."
"Then why go away? Why, why?"
"Because a man leaves father and mother and every thing for the woman he loves. Charley, help me."
She shook her head sadly.
"Help me to break the trouble to father."
"There is no 'breaking' it. It will break him. It will kill him. Alas, it is the ungrateful child that has the power to inflict a slow and torturing death! Poor father! Poor mother! And it is I that must witness it. I, that would die to save them from such undeserved sorrow."
Then Harry rose up angrily, pushed his chair impatiently away, and without a word went to his own room.