"It wouldn't touch me, any more than it touches you!"
"It would touch your father and mother—and Louise."
"They all admire you and honor you. They think you're everything that's true and grand."
"Yes, while I keep to myself. And I shall keep to myself. I know how; and I shall not give way. Don't think it!"
"You will do what is right. I shall think that."
"Don't praise me! I can't bear it."
"But I love you, and how can I help praising you? And if you love me—"
"I do. I do, with all my heart." She turned and gave him an impassioned look from the height of her inapproachability.
"Then I won't ask you to be my wife, Suzette! I know how you feel; I won't be such a liar as to pretend I don't. And I will respect your feeling, as the holiest thing on earth. And if you wish, we will be engaged as no other lovers ever were. You shall promise nothing but to let me help you all I can, for our love's sake, and I will promise never to speak to you of our love again. That shall be our secret—our engagement. Will you promise?"
"It will be hard for you," she said, with a pitying look, which perhaps tried him as sorely as anything could.