Page:The Bostonians (London & New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886).djvu/382

 reasoningly, as if all the wisdom of the ages were seated on her lips. 'Then how can we leave Miss Birdseye, in her state? We must stay here—we must fight it out here.'

'Why not be honest, if you have been false—really honest, not only half so? Why not tell him plainly that you love him?'

'Love him, Olive? why, I scarcely know him.'

'You'll have a chance, if he stays a month!'

'I don't dislike him, certainly, as you do. But how can I love him when he tells me he wants me to give up everything, all our work, our faith, our future, never to give another address, to open my lips in public? How can I consent to that?' Verena went on, smiling strangely.

'He asks you that, just that way?'

'No; it's not that way. It's very kindly.'

'Kindly? Heaven help you, don't grovel! Doesn't he know it's my house?' Olive added, in a moment.

'Of course he won't come into it, if you forbid him.'

'So that you may meet him in other places—on the shore, in the country?'

'I certainly shan't avoid him, hide away from him,' said Verena, proudly. 'I thought I made you believe, in New York, that I really cared for our aspirations. The way for me then is to meet him, feeling conscious of my strength. What if I do like him? what does it matter? I like my work in the world, I like everything I believe in, better.'

Olive listened to this, and the memory of how, in the house in Tenth Street, Verena had rebuked her doubts, professsed her own faith anew, came back to her with a force which made the present situation appear slightly less terrific. Nevertheless, she gave no assent to the girl's logic; she only replied: 'But you didn't meet him there; you hurried away from New York, after I was willing you should stay. He affected you very much there; you were not so calm when you came back to me from your expedition to the park as you pretend to be now. To get away from him you gave up all the rest.'

'I know I wasn't so calm. But now I have had three