CHAPTER 4
Another Love SceneEARLY in ter t dubious parting you nessed, you may, if you like, again see Maggie entering tc it is early afternoon and not evening, and t rip along rat sake in t of rees. t June, and a smile is ing t long in appearing. `take back your Corinne, said Maggie, draelling me s you o be like her.
`ouldnt you really like to be a tent a first parting in t promises us a bright heaven once more.
`Not at all, said Maggie, laugable goddesses, I to carry rolls and musical instruments about e, you kno - and I so leave it beake.
`You agree liking Corinne, then?
`I didnt finiso t it up and determined to read no furt t ligermined to read no more books ory, noore t to avenge Rebecca and Flora MacIvor, and Minna and all t of tutor you ougo preserve my mind from prejudices, you are al prejudices.
`ell, pero Oggs at nole cousin e quenched in your beams.
`P is not pretty of you, to apply my nonsense to anyt. `As if I, of all accompliss, could be a rival of dear little Lucy, imes prettier to Deanes so see me, and will o see imes.
`Maggie, said P is not like you to take playfulness literally. You must Oggs t away a sligion of dulness.
`ell, said Maggie, smiling, `if you meant t for a joke, it I t it you ed to remind me t I am vain, and . But it isnt for t, t Im jealous for t because Im dark myself. Its because I al about t. I alake ted lover in tories.
`t to reject one yourself - stle.
`I dont knoingly. t smile - `I ted. And yet, if extremely ed afterwards, I s.
`Ive often o love a man t ot likely to love.
`t like be very disagreeable. look at me tuck in orry does. I s fond of t; but I never felt any pity for young torry. Ive never any pity for conceited people, because I t about hem.
`But suppose, Maggie - suppose it ed - ed about - it rare moments...
P s t e told ted to rained and indifferent as ever.
But s looking indifferent noruck ion in Pone surned quickly to look at on speaking, a great c spasm of tures suc o readjust tions of t. Se silent, and orunk of a fallen tree, s doo spare for rembling.
`Maggie, said Pting more and more alarmed in every fres of silence, `I o say it - forget t Ive said it. I sented, if they were.
tress o say somet t of it. And t to say t tears dooo.
` made you e me, Maggie? said Puously. `Do you tuous fool?
`O P grateful for any love. But... but I of your being my lover. It seemed so far off - like a dream - only like one of tories one imagines - t I should ever have a lover.
`to ting aking ion of a sudden hope. `Do you love me?
Maggie turned rat question seemed not easy to ans P liquid and beautiful ation, yet , simple, girlisenderness.
`I tter: t le ter for us not to say any more about it - it, dear P even be friends, if our friends t I o me in some rongly again t it o evil.
`But no evil fear before, you o your real self.
Maggie s , I knoalking toget I o look foro s t o my it less - it deal about tient ts again - I get s me to t after I s you call being benumbed ter - better for me - for then my selfish desires were benumbed.
Piently.
`No, Maggie, you , as Ive often told you. you call self-conquest - blinding and deafening yourself to all but one train of impressions, is only ture of monomania in a nature like yours.
ation, but now down by ook her hand.
`Dont t noo me , every obstacle ime - . I can live on me, Maggie - tell me again, it is possible for you to love me. Dont look ao t cloven tree - it is a bad omen.
Surned h a sad smile.
`Come, Maggie, say one kind ter to me at Lorton. You asked me if I so kiss me. Dont you remember? And you promised to kiss me the promise.
tion of t cime came as a s relief to Maggie. It made t moment less strange to as simply and quietly as s ent.
`You dont seem o say you love me, out of pity.
`No, Pelling you trut is all nerange to me; but I dont tter to live o make you do for your sake - I o never ask t from me.
`No, Maggie: I anot place in your .
`No, said Maggie, smiling, `I make you so long as t. But t,
`But is quite impossible er in secret - as hing else.
`No, Maggie, I cant give you up - unless you are deceiving me - unless you really only care for me as if I ell me truth.
`Indeed I do, P as being tle girl - tom o me. And your mind is a sort of o me - You can tell me all I to knoired of being h you.
t eac it time to be gone. But t ting ionally left some painful impression on P s ive - h, leaves flood-marks which are never reached again.
topped to part among tch firs.
`te of all? e do belong to eac or together?
`Yes, Po part: I so make your life very happy.
`I am ing for somet will come.
Maggie smiled, ening tears, and topped all o kiss t imid love - like a womans.
S of real of belief t if t isfying.
Surned arodden tissue of vague dreams must no narro and emotion be gradually absorbed in tual daily life.