"
"Selma, are you crazy? To think that you, the woman I have loved with
all my soul, should be capable of saying such things to me! What does it
mean?"
She was quick to take advantage of his phrase. "Have loved? Yes, I know
that you do not love me as you did; otherwise you could not have refused
to build that house, against my wish and advice. It means this, Wilbur
Littleton, that I am determined not to let you spoil my life. You forget
that in marrying you I gave up my own ambitions and hopes for your sake;
because--because I believed that by living together we should be more,
and accomplish more, than by living apart. You said you needed me, and I
was fool enough to believe it."
The fierce tragedy in her tone lapsed into self-pity under the influence
of her last thought, and Littleton, eager in his bewilderment for some
escape from the horror of the situation, put aside his anger and
dropping on his knees beside her tried to take her hands.
"You are provoked, my darling. Do not say things which you will be sorry
for to-morrow. I call God to witness that I have sought above all else
to make you happy, and if I have failed, I am utterly miserable. I have
needed you, I do need you. Do not let a single difference of opinion
spoil the joy of both our lives and divide our hearts.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293