"Mr. Brudenell," she said, "do not take this to heart so much: why
should you, indeed, when you know that your fate is in your own hands?
You are master of your own destiny, and no man who is so should give way
to despondency. The alternative before you is simply this: to cease to
visit Nora, or to marry her. To do the first you must sacrifice your
love, to do the last you must sacrifice your pride. Now choose between
the courses of action! Gratify your love or your pride, as you see fit,
and cheerfully pay down the price! This seems to me to be the only
manly, the only rational, course."
"Oh, Hannah, Hannah, you do not understand! you do not!" he cried in a
voice full of anguish.
"Yes, I do; I know how hard it would be to you in either case. On the
one hand, what a cruel wrench it will give your heart to tear yourself
from Nora--"
"Yes, yes; oh, Heaven, yes!"
"And, on the other hand, I know what an awful sacrifice you would make
in marrying her--"
"It is not that! Oh, do me justice! I should not think it a sacrifice!
She is too good for me! Oh, Hannah, it is not that which hinders!"
"It is the thought of your mother and sisters, perhaps; but surely if
they love you, as I am certain they do, and if they see your happiness
depends upon this marriage--in time they will yield!"
"It is not my family either, Hannah! Do you think that I would sacrifice
my peace--or hers--to the unreasonable pride of my family? No, Hannah,
no!"
"Then what is it? What stands in the way of your offering your hand to
her to whom you have given your heart?"
"Hannah, I cannot tell you! Oh, Hannah, I feel that I have been very
wrong, criminal even! But I acted blindly; you have opened my eyes, and
now I see I must visit your house no more; how much it costs me to say
this--to do this--you can never know!"
He wiped the perspiration from his pale brow, and, after a few moments
given to the effort of composing himself, he asked: "Shall we go on now?"
She nodded assent and they walked onward.
"Hannah," he said, as they went along, "I have one deplorable weakness."
She looked up suddenly, fearing to hear the confession of some fatal
vice.