Page:A Virgin Heart.pdf/46

42 barrassed. This privilege was at once too innocent and too free. He wondered what he should do to keep it within its present bounds.

"If this is going on... And to think it only started this morning...."

He reassured himself by this most logical piece of reasoning:

"Either I do or I don't want to marry her; in either case I shall have to respect her.... That's evident. Being neither a fool nor a blackguard, I have nothing to fear from myself. The civilized instinct will certainly be stronger than the natural instinct; I'm very civilized...."

They were lightly clad. As he held her arm, he could feel its warmth burning into his ﬂesh.

"Distressing fact! in love you can never be sure of anything or anybody, least of all of yourself. I'm helpless in the hands of desire. And then, at the same time as my own, I must calm down this child's overexcited nerves. Nerves? No, feelings. Feelings lead anywhere.... What a fool I am, making mental sermons like this! I am spoiling delicious moments."

A house like all the others, a carriage door,