"
"Such changes make quarrels," said he.
"It shall not do so with me, unless you choose that it shall," said
Violet. "Why should we be enemies,--we who have known each other
since we were children? My dearest friends are your father and your
sister. Why should we be enemies?"
"I have come to ask you whether you think that I have ill-used you?"
"Ill-used me! Certainly not. Has any one told you that I have accused
you?"
"No one has told me so."
"Then why do you ask me?"
"Because I would not have you think so,--if I could help it. I did
not intend to be rough with you. When you told me that my life was
disreputable--"
"Oh, Oswald, do not let us go back to that. What good will it do?"
"But you said so."
"I think not."
"I believe that that was your word,--the harshest word that you could
use in all the language."
"I did not mean to be harsh. If I used it, I will beg your pardon.
Only let there be an end of it. As we think so differently about life
in general, it was better that we should not be married. But that
is settled, and why should we go back to words that were spoken in
haste, and which are simply disagreeable?"
"I have come to know whether it is settled."
"Certainly. You settled it yourself, Oswald. I told you what I
thought myself bound to tell you.
Pages:
1005
1006
1007
1008
1009
1010
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016
1017
1018
1019
1020
1021
1022
1023
1024
1025
1026
1027
1028
1029