"Oh, well, that's done it! I shall stay with you, of course!"
"That would be impossible," said I, as lightly as I could, "quite impossible; such love as ours, that demands so much, would be a great hindrance to your progress, don't you see? All the time you were studying, I should hover around you most distractingly. No, we must part—for a little while—"
"For how long, Peregrine?"
"Only two years, dear!"
"So long—so very long! Two years! Ah, no, no, I couldn't bear it!"
"Two years will—soon pass!" said I, between clenched teeth. "And of course you will be—too busy to—miss me—very much—"
"Ah, how can you think so?"
"And you will be working for me as much as for your dear self, Diana, and—our love—our future happiness. So you will go, dear heart—?"
"For two years? No—it's too long—you might die—O Peregrine!"
"The contingency is remote—I—I mean—"