He made excuses for her, and persuaded
himself that there were peculiar circumstances in her position justifying
unwomanly conduct, although, had he examined himself on the subject, he
would have found it difficult to say what those circumstances were. She
was rich, beautiful, clever--and he was flattered. Nevertheless he knew
that he could not marry her; and he knew also that much as he liked her he
did not love her. "Lizzie," he said, "I think you hardly understand my
position."
"Yes, I do. That little girl has cozened you out of a promise."
"If it be so, you would not have me break it?"
"Yes, I would, if you think she is not fit to be your wife. Is a man such
as you are, to be tied by the leg for life, have all his ambition clipped,
and his high hopes shipwrecked, because a girl has been clever enough to
extract a word from him? Is it not true that you are in debt?"
"What of that? At any rate, Lizzie, I do not want help from you."
"That is so like a man's pride! Do we not all know that in such a career
as you have marked out for yourself, wealth, or at any rate an easy
income, is necessary? Do you think that I cannot put two and two together?
Do you believe so meanly of me as to imagine that I should have said to
you what I have said, if I did not know that I could help you? A man, I
believe, cannot understand that love which induces a woman to sacrifice
her pride simply for his advantage.
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