'I want you to know before you decide that you'll have to rough it all the time. It'll be hard and dangerous work.'
'Well, as far as I'm concerned it's Hobson's choice, isn't it?' he answered, bitterly.
Alec held out his hand, with one of his rare, quiet smiles.
'I hope we shall pull well together and be good friends.'
'And when you come back, George, everything will be over. I wish I were a man so that I might go with you. I wish I had your chance. You've got everything before you, George. I think no man has ever had such an opportunity. All our hope is in you. I want to be proud of you. All my self-respect depends on you. I want you to distinguish yourself, so that I may feel once more honest and strong and clean.'
Her voice was trembling with a deep emotion, and George, quick to respond, flushed.
'I am a selfish beast,' he cried. 'I've been thinking of myself all the time. I've never given a thought to you.'
'I don't want you to: I only want you to be brave and honest and steadfast.'
The tears came to his eyes, and he put his arms around her neck. He nestled against her heart as a child might have done.
'It'll be awfully hard to leave you, Lucy.'