"It shall not do so with me, unless you choose that it shall," said Violet. "Why should we be enemies,—we who have known each other since we were children? My dearest friends are your father and your sister. Why should we be enemies?"
"I have come to ask you whether you think that I have ill-used you?"
"Ill-used me! Certainly not. Has any one told you that I have accused you?"
"No one has told me so."
"Then why do you ask me?"
"Because I would not have you think so,—if I could help it. I did not intend to be rough with you. When you told me that my life was disreputable—"
"Oh, Oswald, do not let us go back to that. What good will it do?"
"But you said so."
"I think not."
"I believe that that was your word,—the harshest word that you could use in all the language."