owtotakeherinhisarmsandtocoverhersoftmouthwithhiskisses!
"Whatareyoudoingthisevening?"shesaid.
"Nothing."
"WouldyouliketotakemetotheCarlton?Yourememberyoupromised."
"Oh,thatisgoodofyou!OfcourseIshouldlikeit!"
Atlasthecouldnothidethefireinhisheart,andthesimplewordsweresaidsovehementlythatMrs.Wallacelookedupinsurprise.Shewithdrewthehandwhichhewasstillholding.
"Verywell.Youmayfetchmeataquartertoeight."
AftertakingMrs.Wallacehome,Jamespacedthestreetsforanhourinaturmoilofwildexcitement.TheyhaddinedattheCarltonexpensively,aswasherwish,andthen,drivingtotheEmpire,Jameshadtakenabox.Throughtheeveninghehadscarcelyknownhowtomaintainhiscalm,howtopreventhimselffromtellingherallthatwasinhisheart.Afterthemiseryhehadgonethrough,hesnatchedathappinesswitheagergrasp,determinedtoenjoytothefulleverysinglemomentofit.Hethrewallscruplestothewind.Hewassickandtiredofholdinghimselfinhehadcheckedhimselftoolong,andnow,atallhazards,mustlethimselfgo.Bridleandcurbnowwereofnoavail.Heneithercouldnorwouldsuppresshispassion,thoughitdevouredhimlikearagingfire.Hethoughthisconscientiousnessabsurd.Whycouldhenot,likeothermen,takethebriefjoyoflife?Whycouldhenotgathertheroseswithoutcaringwhethertheywouldquicklyfade?"Letmeeat,drink,andbemerry,"hecried,"forto-morrowIdie!"
ItwasWednesday,andontheSaturdayhehadpromisedtoreturntoLittlePrimpton.Butheputasideallthoughtofthat,exceptasanincentivetomakethemostofhistime.Hehadwrestledwithtemptationandbeenovercome,andhegloriedinhisdefeat.Hewouldmakenofurtherefforttostiflehislove.Hisstrengthhadfinallydesertedhim,andhehadnowilltoprotecthimselfhewouldgivehimselfoverentirelytohispassion,andthefuturemightbringwhatitwould.
"I'mafooltotormentmyself!"hecried."Afterall,whatdoesanythingmatterbutlove?"
Mrs.Wallacewasengagedfortheafternoonofthenextday,butshehadinvitedhimtodinewithher.
"Theyfeedyouabominablyatmyplace,