arried."
TheColonelrecoveredhimselfslowly,heturnedroundandlookedathisson.
"Jamie,Jamie,whathaveyoudone?"
"Oh,youcansaynothingthatI'venotsaidtomyself.D'youthinkit'sastepIshouldhavetakenlightly?IfeelnothingtowardsMarybutfriendship.Idon'tloveher."
"But—"theColonelstopped,andthenalightshoneinhisface,andhebegantolaugh."Oh,it'sonlyalovers'quarrel,Frances.They'vehadalittletiff,andtheysaythey'llneverspeaktooneanotheragain.Iwarrantthey'rebothheartilysorryalready,andbeforenightthey'llbeengagedasfastasever."
James,byalook,imploredhismothertospeak.Sheunderstood,andshookherheadsadly.
"No,Richmond,I'mafraidit'snotthat.It'sserious."
"ButMaryloveshim,Frances."
"Iknow,"saidJames."That'sthetragedyofit.IfIcouldonlypersuademyselfthatshedidn'tcareforme,itwouldbeallright."
ColonelParsonssankintohischair,suddenlycollapsing.Heseemedsmallerthanever,wizenedandfrailthewispofwhitehairthatconcealedhisbaldnessfellforwardgrotesquely.Hisfaceassumedagainthatexpression,whichwasalmosthabitual,ofanxiousfear.
"Oh,father,don'tlooklikethat!Ican'thelpit!Don'tmakeitharderformethanpossible.Youtalktohim,mother.Explainthatit'snotmyfault.TherewasnothingelseIcoulddo."
ColonelParsonssatsilent,withhisheadbentdown,butMrs.Parsonsasked:
"WhatdidyousaytoMarythismorning?"
"ItoldherexactlywhatIfelt."
"Yousaidyoudidn'tloveher?"
"Ihadto."
"Poorthing!"
Theyallremainedforawhilewithoutspeaking,eachonethinkinghispainfulthoughts.
"Richmond,"saidMrs.Parsonsatlast,"wemustn'tblametheboy.It'snothisfault.Hecan'thelpitifhedoesn'tloveher."
"Youwouldn'thavememarryherwithoutlove,father?"
ThequestionwasansweredbyMrs.Parsons.
"Noifyoudon'tloveher,youmustn'tmarryher.Butwhat'stobedone,Idon'tknow.Poorthing,poorthing,howunhappyshemustbe!"
Jamessatwithhisfaceinhishands,utterlywretched,beginningalreadytoseethegreatcircleofconfusionthathehadcause