“Then what am I to do? Am I to be publicly disgraced and brought to shame? Is my whole life to be ruined because of my love for you? Oh, it is cruel, and piteously unjust!”
“Edith, will you listen to reason? Will you have patience?”
“Will I have patience?” repeated the poor girl. “Have I not had patience? And my forbearance is well-nigh gone; I cannot bear it. Charles, think for a moment of what all this means to me, and have some pity.”
“Edith, will you listen to me?”
“Yes. Speak; I will listen,” she returned wearily, trying to stifle the sobs which almost choked her.
“If you will only control your violence and be guided by me, there need be no disgrace in the matter—either to you or to me. No one knows of this; no one need know. All you have to do is to remain quietly at home until a further concealment of the truth would be impossible; then you will leave home, as you have done before, to visit your friends. Once free of the village, you will go to a place which I shall have found for you; and, afterwards, return home.”
She listened quietly while he spoke. When he ceased, she said nothing. Presently he said—
“Edith, have you been listening?”
“Yes; I have heard.”
“And what do you think?”