Have I not thought of her all the time, worked for
her?"
"You have been uncommonly persistent--as you always are when you are
thwarted." The Visitor wore a satirical smile. "But a spurt of inspiration
is one thing. A wife--responsibility--fetters----"
"Not when one loves."
"That depends upon the kind of love--and the kind of woman--and the kind of
man."
"Could there be any higher kind of love than ours?"
"Most romantic, most high-minded--quite idyllic." The Visitor's tone was
gently mocking. "And I don't deny that you may go on loving each the other.
But--how does she fit in with your scheme of life? What does she really
know of or care about your ambitions? Why, you had so little confidence in
her that you didn't dare to think of marrying her until you had an income
which you once would have thought wealth--an income which, by the way,
already begins to seem small to you."
"No, it wasn't lack of confidence in her," protested Howard. "It was lack
of confidence in myself."
"True, that did have something to do with it, I grant you. And that reminds
me--what has become of all your cowardice about responsibility?"
"Oh, I'm changed there."
"Are you sure? Are you not deceived by this sudden and maybe momentary
streak of good luck in your affairs? You have fixed your ambition
high--very high.
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