Well, love--indifferent if you will--and
respect are not a bad foundation for something stronger. Will you, for the
sake of argument, suppose that for some reason you have forgotten your
opposition and have been led into marrying me?"
The sad indulgence of her smile was not inspiriting, but he continued, --
"Now, then, say you are my wife; that means I am your husband, and I love
you. You do not return my love, you say; you think you would be wretched
with me because you love another. Still, you are married to me; that gives
me rights that no other man can possess, no matter how much you love him.
You are bound to me, I to you and your happiness; so I pledge myself to
make you happier than you are now, because I shall make you forget this
man."
"You could not, and I should only grow to hate you."
"Impossible," the pallor of his face intensifying; "because I should so act
that my love would wait upon your pleasure: it would never push itself into
another's place, but it would in time overshadow the other. For, remember,
I shall be your husband. I shall give you another life; I shall take you
away with me. You will leave all your old friends and associations for a
while, and I shall be with you always, --not intrusively, but necessarily.
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