plication,butshedidnotseeitherglancewasstillrivetedtotheground.
"Ithinkit'sbettertotellyouthewholetruth,MaryI'mafraidI'mspeakingawfullypriggishly.IfeelI'mactinglikeacad,andyetIdon'tknowhowelsetoact.Godhelpme!"
"I'veknownalmostfromthebeginningthatyounolongercaredforme,"saidMaryquietly,herfaceshowingnoexpression,hervoicehushedtillitwasonlyawhisper.
"Forgiveme,MaryI'vetriedtoloveyou.Oh,howhumiliatingthatmustsound!IhardlyknowwhatI'msaying.Trytounderstandme.Ifmywordsareharshandugly,it'sbecauseIdon'tknowhowtoexpressmyself.ButImusttellyouthewholetruth.ThechiefthingisthatIshouldbehonestwithyou.It'stheonlyreturnIcanmakeforallyou'vedoneforme."
Marybentherheadalittlelower,andheavytearsrolleddownhercheeks.
"Oh,Mary,don'tcry!"saidJames,hisvoicebreakingandhesteppedforward,withoutstretchedarms,asthoughtocomforther.
"I'msorry,"shesaid"Ididn'tmeanto."
Shetookoutherhandkerchiefanddriedhereyes,tryingtosmile.Hercourageousself-commandwaslikeastabinJamie'sheart.
"Iamanabsolutecad!"hesaid,hoarsely.
Marymadenogestureshesatperfectlystill,rigid,notseekingtohideheremotion,butmerelytomasterit.Onecouldseetheeffortshemade.
"I'mawfullysorry,Mary!Pleaseforgiveme—Idon'taskyoutoreleaseme.AllIwanttodoistoexplainexactlywhatIfeel,andthenleaveyoutodecide."
"Areyou—areyouinlovewithanyoneelse?"
"No!"
ThesmileofMrs.Wallaceflashedscornfullyacrosshismind,buthesethisteeth.Hehatedanddespisedherhewouldnotloveher.
"Isthereanythinginmethatyoudon'tlikewhichImightbeabletocorrect?"
Herhumilitywasmorethanhecouldbear.
"No,no,no!"hecried."Icannevermakeyouunderstand.Youmustthinkmesimplybrutal.Youhaveallthatamancouldwishfor.Iknowhowkindyouare,andhowgoodyouare.Ithinkyouhaveeveryqualitywhichagoodwomanshouldhave.IrespectyouentirelyIcanneverhelpfeelingforyouthemostintensegratitud