“Never, darling, never.”
And he never did.
“Never—of course, never.”
“And I’m sure it could not be helped your not being at Carwell.”
“Of course it couldn’t—how could it! Don’t you know everything? You’re my own reasonable, wise little girl, and you would not like to bore and worry your poor Ry. I wish to God I were my own master, and you’d soon see then who loves you best in all the world.”
“Oh, yes, I’m sure of it.”
“Yes, darling, you are; if we are to be happy, you must be sure of it. If there’s force in language, or proof in act, you can’t doubt me—you must know how I adore you—what motive on earth could I have in saying so, but one?”
“None, none, darling, darling Ry—it’s only my folly, and you’ll forgive your poor foolish little bird; and oh, Ry, is not this dreadful—but better, I suppose, that is, when a few miserable hours are over, and I gone—and we happy—your poor little violet and Ry happy together for the rest of our lives.”
“I think so, I do, all our days; and you understand everything I told you?”
“Everything—yes—about to-morrow morning—quite.”