Part 71 (1/2)
”I didn't think it could be so bad with you as that.”
”No;--I don't suppose women ever do believe. And I wouldn't have believed it of myself. I hated myself for it. By George, I did. That is when I began to think it was all up with me.”
”All up with you! Oh, Will!”
”I had quite made up my mind to go to New Zealand. I had, indeed. I couldn't have kept my hands off that man if we had been living in the same country. I should have wrung his neck.”
”Will, how can you talk so wickedly?”
”There's no understanding it till you have felt it. But never mind.
It's all right now; isn't it, Clara?”
”If you think so.”
”Think so! Oh, Clara, I am such a happy fellow. Do give me a kiss.
You have never given me one kiss yet.”
”What nonsense! I didn't think you were such a baby.”
”By George, but you shall;--or you shall never get home to tea to-night. My own, own, own darling. Upon my word, Clara, when I begin to think about it I shall be half mad.”
”I think you are quite that already.”
”No, I'm not;--but I shall be when I'm alone. What can I say to you, Clara, to make you understand how much I love you? You remember the song, 'For Bonnie Annie Laurie I'd lay me down and dee.' Of course it is all nonsense talking of dying for a woman. What a man has to do is to live for her. But that is my feeling. I'm ready to give you my life. If there was anything to do for you, I'd do it if I could, whatever it was. Do you understand me?”
”Dear Will! Dearest Will!”
”Am I dearest?”
”Are you not sure of it?”
”But I like you to tell me so. I like to feel that you are not ashamed to own it. You ought to say it a few times to me, as I have said it so very often to you.”
”You'll hear enough of it before you've done with me.”
”I shall never have heard enough of it. Oh, Heavens, only think, when I was coming down in the train last night I was in such a bad way.”
”And are you in a good way now?”
”Yes; in a very good way. I shall crow over Mary so when I get home.”
”And what has poor Mary done?”
”Never mind.”
”I dare say she knows what is good for you better than you know yourself. I suppose she has told you that you might do a great deal better than trouble yourself with a wife?”