thallhersoul,andyetbethegreater,nottheless,onaccountofherlove,honoredbyalltheworldastheinspirerofnobledeeds."
ShelookedsobeautifulinherenthusiasmthatInearlybroughtdownthewholeleveloftheinterview.Igrippedmyselfhard,andwentonwiththeargument.
"Wecan'tallbeStanleysandBurtons,"saidI"besides,wedon'tgetthechance,—atleast,Ineverhadthechance.IfIdid,Ishouldtrytotakeit."
"Butchancesareallaroundyou.ItisthemarkofthekindofmanImeanthathemakeshisownchances.Youcan'tholdhimback.I'venevermethim,andyetIseemtoknowhimsowell.Thereareheroismsallrounduswaitingtobedone.It'sformentodothem,andforwomentoreservetheirloveasarewardforsuchmen.LookatthatyoungFrenchmanwhowentuplastweekinaballoon.Itwasblowingagaleofwindbutbecausehewasannouncedtogoheinsistedonstarting.Thewindblewhimfifteenhundredmilesintwenty-fourhours,andhefellinthemiddleofRussia.ThatwasthekindofmanImean.Thinkofthewomanheloved,andhowotherwomenmusthaveenviedher!That'swhatIshouldliketobe,—enviedformyman."
"I'dhavedoneittopleaseyou."
"Butyoushouldn'tdoitmerelytopleaseme.Youshoulddoitbecauseyoucan'thelpyourself,becauseit'snaturaltoyou,becausethemaninyouiscryingoutforheroicexpression.Now,whenyoudescribedtheWigancoalexplosionlastmonth,couldyounothavegonedownandhelpedthosepeople,inspiteofthechoke-damp?"
"Idid."
"Youneversaidso."
"Therewasnothingworthbuckingabout."
"Ididn'tknow."Shelookedatmewithrathermoreinterest."Thatwasbraveofyou."
"Ihadto.Ifyouwanttowritegoodcopy,youmustbewherethethingsare."
"Whataprosaicmotive!Itseemstotakealltheromanceoutofit.But,still,whateveryourmotive,Iamgladthatyouwentdownthatmine."ShegavemeherhandbutwithsuchsweetnessanddignitythatIcouldonlystoopandkissit."IdaresayIammerelyafoolishwomanwithayounggirl'sfancies.Andyetitissorealwithme,soentirelypartofmyveryself,thatIcannothelpactinguponit.IfImarry,Idowanttomarryafamous