Another Love Scene

    EARLY in ter t dubious parting you  nessed, you may, if you like, again see Maggie entering tc it is early afternoon and not evening, and t rip along rat sake in t of rees. t June, and a smile is  ing t  long in appearing. `take back your Corinne, said Maggie, draelling me s you o be like her.

    `ouldnt you really like to be a tent a first parting in t promises us a bright heaven once more.

    `Not at all, said Maggie, laugable goddesses, I to carry rolls and musical instruments about e, you kno  - and I so leave it beake.

    `You agree  liking Corinne, then?

    `I didnt finiso t it up and determined to read no furt t ligermined to read no more books ory, noore t to avenge Rebecca and Flora MacIvor, and Minna and all t of tutor you ougo preserve my mind from prejudices, you are al prejudices.

    `ell, pero  Oggs at  nole cousin e quenched in your beams.

    `P is not pretty of you, to apply my nonsense to anyt. `As if I,  of all accompliss, could be a rival of dear little Lucy, imes prettier to  Deanes  so see me, and will o see imes.

    `Maggie, said P is not like you to take playfulness literally. You must  Oggs t away a sligion of dulness.

    `ell, said Maggie, smiling, `if you meant t for a joke, it  I t it  you ed to remind me t I am vain, and . But it isnt for t, t Im jealous for t because Im dark myself. Its because I al about t. I alake ted lover in tories.

    `t to reject one yourself - stle.

    `I dont knoingly. t smile - `I ted. And yet, if  extremely ed afterwards, I s.

    `Ive often o love a man t ot likely to love.

    `t  like  be very disagreeable.  look at me tuck in orry does. I s fond of t; but I never felt any pity for young torry. Ive never any pity for conceited people, because I t about hem.

    `But suppose, Maggie - suppose it ed - ed about -   it   rare moments...

    P  s t  e told  ted to rained and indifferent as ever.

    But s looking indifferent noruck ion in Pone surned quickly to look at  on speaking, a great c spasm of tures suc o readjust tions of t. Se silent, and orunk of a fallen tree, s doo spare for rembling.

    `Maggie, said Pting more and more alarmed in every fres of silence, `I o say it - forget t Ive said it. I sented, if they were.

    tress o say somet t of it. And t to say t tears dooo.

    ` made you e me, Maggie? said Puously. `Do you tuous fool?

    `O P grateful for any love. But... but I  of your being my lover. It seemed so far off - like a dream - only like one of tories one imagines - t I should ever have a lover.

    `to ting aking ion of a sudden hope. `Do you love me?

    Maggie turned rat question seemed not easy to ans  P liquid and beautiful ation, yet , simple, girlisenderness.

    `I tter: t le  ter for us not to say any more about it -  it, dear P even be friends, if our friends t I  o me in some rongly again t it o evil.

    `But no evil  fear before, you o your real self.

    Maggie s , I knoalking toget I o look foro s t o my  it less - it  deal about tient ts again - I get s me to t after I s  you call being benumbed ter - better for me - for then my selfish desires were benumbed.

    Piently.

    `No, Maggie, you , as Ive often told you.  you call self-conquest - blinding and deafening yourself to all but one train of impressions, is only ture of monomania in a nature like yours.

    ation, but now  down by ook her hand.

    `Dont t noo me , every obstacle ime - . I can live on  me, Maggie - tell me again, it is possible for you to love me. Dont look ao t cloven tree - it is a bad omen.

    Surned h a sad smile.

    `Come, Maggie, say one kind ter to me at Lorton. You asked me if I so kiss me. Dont you remember? And you promised to kiss me  the promise.

    tion of t cime came as a s relief to Maggie. It made t moment less strange to  as simply and quietly as s  ent.

    `You dont seem o say you love me, out of pity.

    `No, Pelling you trut is all nerange to me; but I dont tter to live o make you  do for your sake - I o  never ask t from me.

    `No, Maggie: I  anot place in your .

    `No, said Maggie, smiling, `I  make you  so long as t. But t,

    `But  is quite impossible er in secret - as hing else.

    `No, Maggie, I cant give you up - unless you are deceiving me - unless you really only care for me as if I ell me truth.

    `Indeed I do, P  as being tle girl - tom o me. And your mind is a sort of o me - You can tell me all I  to knoired of being h you.

    t eac it time to be gone. But t ting ionally left some painful impression on P s ive - h, leaves flood-marks which are never reached again.

    topped to part among tch firs.

    `te of all? e do belong to eac or together?

    `Yes, Po part: I so make your life very happy.

    `I am ing for somet will come.

    Maggie smiled, ening tears, and topped all o kiss t imid love - like a womans.

    S of real  of belief t if t isfying.

    Surned arodden tissue of vague dreams must no narro and emotion be gradually absorbed in tual daily life.