Fair Margaret
Page 101'It would be much harder if I did not take pains,' he answered gravely.
'Now you know my secret, but don't betray me.' 'Not for worlds!' They both laughed a little, and their eyes met.
'But just now, I'm in a very awkward position about that,' Logotheti
continued. I cannot afford to sacrifice my reputation as a lucky fool,
and yet I want you to think me a marvel of cleverness, good taste and
perfection in every way.' 'Is that all?' asked Margaret, more and more amused.
'Almost all. You see I know perfectly well that I cannot surprise you
into falling in love with me---- Yes, she's sound asleep! The ideal
Rosa, as if she thought of waking her.
'Excuse me, you do; for if I were "some one else" you would be
delighted that she should be asleep. But that's not the question. As I
cannot surprise you into--there's no harm in saying it!--into loving
me, I'm driven to use what they call the "arts of persuasion"! But in
order to persuade, it's necessary to inspire confidence. Do you
understand?' 'Vaguely!' 'Have I succeeded at all?' His voice changed suddenly as he asked the
'I don't know why I should distrust you, I'm sure,' Margaret answered
gravely. 'You are certainly very outspoken,' she continued more
lightly, as if wishing to keep the conversation from growing serious.
'In fact, I never knew anything like your frankness!' 'I'm in earnest, and I don't wish to leave the least doubt in your
mind. You are the first woman I have ever met whom I wanted to marry,
and you are likely to be the last. I'm not a boy and I know the world
as you can never know it, even if you insist upon going on the stage.
had as large a share of what the world holds as most rich men. That is
my position. Until I met you, I thought I had really had everything.
When I knew you I found that I had never had the only thing worth
having at all.' He spoke quietly, without the least affectation of feeling, or the
smallest apparent attempt to make an impression upon her; but it was
impossible not to believe that he was speaking the truth. Margaret was
silent, and looked steadily at an imaginary point in the distance.