Davies?" she answered in a kinder voice. "I
cannot marry you. How I can I marry you when I do not love you?"
"Plenty of women marry men whom they do not love."
"Then they are bad women," answered Beatrice with energy.
"The world does not think so," he said again; "the world calls those
women bad who love where they cannot marry, and the world is always
right. Marriage sanctifies everything."
Beatrice laughed bitterly. "Do you think so?" she said. "I do not. I
think that marriage without love is the most unholy of our institutions,
and that is saying a good deal. Supposing I should say yes to you,
supposing that I married you, not loving you, what would it be for? For
your money and your position, and to be called a married woman, and what
do you suppose I should think of myself in my heart then? No, no, I may
be bad, but I have not fallen so low as that. Find another wife, Mr.
Davies; the world is wide and there are plenty of women in it who
will love you for your own sake, or who at any rate will not be so
particular. Forget me, and leave me to go my own way--it is not your
way.
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