"
"You talk of bringing trouble on me," he said; "you say nothing of
yourself, and yet a man, even a man with eyes on him like myself, is
better fitted to weather such a storm. If it ruined me, how much more
would it ruin you?"
They were at the gate of the Vicarage now, and the wind rushed so
strongly through the firs that she needed to put her lips quite close to
his ear to make her words heard.
"Stop, one minute," she said, "perhaps you do not quite understand. When
a woman does what I have done, it is because she loves with all her
life and heart and soul, because all these are a part of her love. For
myself, I no longer care anything--I have _no_ self away from you; I
have ceased to be of myself or in my own keeping. I am of you and in
yours. For myself and my own fate or name I think no more; with my eyes
open and of my own free will I have given everything to you, and am glad
and happy to give it. But for you I still do care, and if I took any
step, or allowed you to take any that could bring sorrow on you, I
should never forgive myself. That is why we must part, Geoffrey.
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