“Give me a moment more,” he said; and they walked on slowly. “I know what presumption this is; but I will not spin phrases about that. Nor do I ask what is impossible; but I will only ask leave to teach you in my turn what love means.”
“Oh! that is the hardest of all to say,” she said, “but I know already.”
He did not quite understand, and glanced at her a moment.
“I once loved too,” she whispered. He drew a sharp breath.
“Forgive me,” he said, “I forced that from you.”
“You are never anything but courteous and kind,” she said, “and that makes this harder than all.”
They walked in silence half a dozen steps.
“Have I distressed you?” he asked, glancing at her again.
Then she looked full in his face, and her eyes were overflowing.
“I am grieved for your sorrow,” she said, “and at my own unworthiness, you know that?”