A
damp cloth brings them all away, and leaves nothing behind."
"What would you have?"
"There should be a little notch on the stick,--to remember by," said
Violet. "Not that I complain, you know. I cannot complain, as I was
not notched myself."
"You are silly, Violet."
"In not having allowed myself to be notched by this great champion?"
"A man like Mr. Finn has his life to deal with,--to make the most
of it, and to divide it between work, pleasure, duty, ambition, and
the rest of it as best he may. If he have any softness of heart, it
will be necessary to him that love should bear a part in all these
interests. But a man will be a fool who will allow love to be the
master of them all. He will be one whose mind is so ill-balanced
as to allow him to be the victim of a single wish. Even in a woman
passion such as that is evidence of weakness, and not of strength."
"It seems, then, Laura, that you are weak."
"And if I am, does that condemn him? He is a man, if I judge him
rightly, who will be constant as the sun, when constancy can be of
service."
"You mean that the future Mrs. Finn will be secure?"
"That is what I mean;--and that you or I, had either of us chosen to
take his name, might have been quite secure. We have thought it right
to refuse to do so.
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