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very plain question； whether you would let me study with you。 Didn't
I？〃
HE： 〃Yes。〃
SHE： 〃Was there anything wronganything queer about my asking you？〃
HE： 〃No； no！ Not at allnot in the least。〃
SHE： 〃Didn't you wish me to take the lessons of you？ If you didn't；
it wasn't kind of you to let me。〃
HE： 〃Oh； I was perfectly willingvery glad indeed； very much so
certainly！〃
SHE： 〃If it wasn't your CUSTOM to take pupils； you ought to have
told me； and I wouldn't have forced myself upon you。〃
HE； desperately： 〃It wasn't forcing yourself upon me。 The Lord
knows how humbly grateful I was。 It was like a hope of heaven！〃
SHE： 〃Really； Mr。 Ransom； this is very strange talk。 What am I to
understand by it？ Why should you be grateful to teach me？ Why
should giving me lessons be like a hope of heaven？〃
HE： 〃Oh； I will tell you！〃
SHE： 〃Well？〃
HE； after a moment of agony： 〃Because to be with you〃 …
SHE： 〃Yes？〃
HE： 〃Because I wished to be with you。 Becausethose days in the
woods； when you read； and I〃 …
SHE： 〃Painted on my pictures〃 …
HE： 〃Were the happiest of my life。 BecauseI loved you！〃
SHE： 〃Mr。 Ransom！〃
HE： 〃Yes； I must tell you so。 I loved you； I love you still。 I
shall always love you； no matter what〃 …
SHE： 〃You forget yourself； Mr。 Ransom。 Has there been anything in
my mannerconductto justify you in using such language to me？〃
HE： 〃Nono〃 …
SHE： 〃Did you suppose that because I first took lessons of you from…
…froman enthusiasm for art； and then continued them forfor
amusement； that I wished you to make love to me？〃
HE： 〃No； I never supposed such a thing。 I'm incapable of it。 I
beseech you to believe that no one could have more respect
reverence〃He twirls his hat between his hands； and casts an
imploring glance at her。
SHE： 〃Oh； respectreverence！ I know what they mean in the mouths
of men。 If you respected； if you reverenced me； could you dare to
tell me； after my unguarded trust of you during the past months； that
you had been all the time secretly in love with me？〃
HE； plucking up a little courage： 〃I don't see that the three things
are incompatible。〃
SHE： 〃Oh； then you acknowledge that you did presume upon something
you thought you saw in me to tell me that you loved me； and that you
were in love with me all the time？〃
HE； contritely： 〃I have no right to suppose that you encouraged me；
and yetI can't deny it nowI was in love with you all the time。〃
SHE： 〃And you never said a word to let me believe that you had any
such feeling toward me！〃
HE： 〃II〃 …
SHE： 〃You would have parted from me without a syllable to suggest
itperhaps parted from me forever？〃 After a pause of silent
humiliation for him： 〃Do you call that brave or generous？ Do you
call it manlysupposing； as you hoped； that _I_ had any such
feeling？〃
HE： 〃No； it was cowardly； it was mean； it was unmanly。 I see it
now； but I will spend my life in repairing the wrong； if you will
only let me。〃 He impetuously advances some paces toward her； and
then stops； arrested by her irresponsive attitude。
SHE； with a light sigh； and looking down at the paper； which she has
continued to hold between her hands： 〃There was a timea moment
when I might have answered as you wish。〃
HE： 〃Oh！ then there will be again。 If you have changed once； you
may change once more。 Let me hope that some timeany time； dearest〃
…
SHE； quenching him with a look： 〃Mr。 Ransom； I shall NEVER change
toward you！ You confess that you had your opportunity； and that you
despised it。〃
HE： 〃Oh！ NOT despised it！〃
SHE： 〃Neglected it。〃
HE： 〃Not wilfullyno。 I confess that I was stupidly； vilely；
pusillanpusillanillani〃 …
SHE： 〃'Monsly〃 …
HE： 〃Thanks'mously unworthy of it； but I didn't despise it； I
didn't neglect it； and if you will only let me show by a lifetime of
devotion how dearly and truly I have loved you from the first moment
I drove that cow away〃 …
SHE： 〃Mr。 Ransom； I have told you that I should never change toward
you。 That cow was nothing when weighed in the balance against your
being willing to leave a poor girl； whom you supposed interested in
you； and to whom you had paid the most marked attention； without a
word to show her that you cared for her。 What is a cow； or a whole
herd of cows； as compared with obliging a young lady to offer you
money that you hadn't earned； and then savagely flinging it back in
her face？ A yoke of oxen would be nothingor a mad bull。〃
HE： 〃Oh； I acknowledge it！ I confess it。〃
SHE： 〃And you own that I am right in refusing to listen to you now？〃
HE； desolately： 〃Yes； yes。〃
SHE： 〃It seems that you gave me lessons in order to be with me； and
if possible to interest me in you； and then you were going away
without a word。〃
HE； with a groan： 〃It was only because I was afraid to speak。〃
SHE： 〃Oh； is THAT any excuse？〃
HE： 〃No； none。〃
SHE： 〃A man ought always to have courage。〃 After a pause； in which
he stands before her with bowed head： 〃Then there's nothing for me
but to give you this money。〃
HE； with sudden energy： 〃This is too much！ I〃 …
SHE； offering him the bank…notes： 〃No； it is the exact sum。 I
counted it very carefully。〃
HE： 〃I won't take it； I can't！ I'll never take it！〃
SHE； standing with the money in her outstretched hand： 〃I have your
word as a gentleman that you will take it。〃
HE； gasping： 〃Oh； wellI will take itI will〃He clutches the
money； and rushes toward the door。 〃Good…evening； ahgood…by〃 …
SHE； calling after him： 〃The receipt； Mr。 Ransom！ Please sign this
receipt！〃 She waves the paper in the air。
HE： 〃Oh； yes； certainly！ Where is itwhatwhich〃He rushes back
to her； and seizing the receipt； feels blindly about for the pen and
ink。 〃Where shall I sign？〃
SHE： 〃Read it first。〃
HE： 〃Oh； it's allall right〃 …
SHE： 〃I insist upon your reading it。 It's a business transaction。
Read it aloud。〃
HE； desperately： 〃Well； well！〃 He reads。 〃'Received from Miss
Ethel Reed； in full； for twenty…five lessons in oil…painting； one
hundred and twenty…five dollars； and her hand； heart； and dearest
love forever。'〃 He looks up at her。 〃Ethel！〃
SHE； smiling： 〃Sign it； sign it！〃
HE； catching her in his arms and kissing her： 〃Oh； yesHERE！〃
SHE； pulling a little away from him； and laughing： 〃Oh； oh！ I only
wanted ONE signature！ Twenty autographs are too many； unless you'll
let me trade them off； as the collectors do。〃
HE： 〃No； keep them all！ I couldn't think of letting any one else
have them。 One more！〃
SHE： 〃No； it's quite enough！〃
SHE frees herself； and retires beyond the table。 〃This unexpected
affection〃 …
HE： 〃IS it unexpectedseriously？〃
SHE： 〃What do you mean？〃
HE： 〃Oh； nothing！〃
SHE： 〃Yes； tell me！〃
HE： 〃I hopedI thoughtperhapsthat you might have been prepared
for some such demonstration on my part。〃
SHE： 〃And why did you thinkhopeperhapsTHAT； Mr。 Ransom； may I
ask？〃
HE： 〃If I hadn't； how should I have dared to speak？〃
SHE： 〃Dared？ You were obliged to speak！ Well； since it's all over；
I don't mind saying that I DID h