Page:Duer Miller--The charm school.djvu/151

 strength of his love for her, and this would be an unnecessary insult to the poor little princess. He preferred to deny himself one of the supreme pleasures of his life and go away without seeing the object of his unique affection.

"No, thank you," he said. "I must be going. I'll just wait here until they get into the dining-room." Already the sound of voices could be heard on the stairs.

Left alone, he sank into a chair and lit a cigarette. He felt profoundly distressed by what had happened. It was a dreadful thing that he should have to be the cause of unhappiness to one of the children committed to his charge—he, who ought to be willing to lay down his life to save theirs. An idea came to him. It was possible, it was even likely, that the little princess had exaggerated her emotions; the first grown man she met might drive her schoolmaster out of her head; but if she were right, if this really were her great passion, could he give his life to anything better than trying to make her happy? Susie didn't care for him, might never, perhaps, care, though he hadn't been able to face the truth before. Wasn't it his duty to make the sacrifice?

The stern daughter of the voice of God