"Why, Mr. Gerald," I says, "I'd as soon think of loving the president."
"Don't bother about him," he says. "Love me."
Some more folks came in then to see the Chartron, and I never saw him any more that night till they were leaving. Then he told me Miss Antoinette was going back on Sunday, but he'd run me in town on Monday morning, if I'd go. I said I'd go.
It was raining that Monday morning, and everything smelled sort of old-fashioned and nice, and the rain beat in our faces.
"Cosma," he said, "don't keep me waiting."
"Why not?" I said. I can see just the way the road went stretching in front of us. I looked at it, and I thought why not, why not.... I'd been saved from Katytown. I'd been saved from Luke, from Mr. Carney, from the factory. I'd been given my school, and now this chance. Why not?
"Because I love you so much that it isn't fair to me," he said.
And he thought he was answering what I had said, but instead he was really answering what I had thought.
"You like your new life, don't you?" he said. "Why not have it all the time, then? And if you love me, even a little, I can make you happy—I know I can."
"And could I make you happy?" I said.