Рождественская история
Chapter 2
‘Yourownfeelingtellsyouthatyouwerenotwhatyouare,’shereturned.‘Iam.Thatwhichpromisedhappinesswhenwewereoneinheart,isfraughtwithmiserynowthatwearetwo.HowoftenandhowkeenlyIhavethoughtofthis,Iwillnotsay.ItisenoughthatIhavethoughtofit,andcanreleaseyou.’
‘HaveIeversoughtrelease?’
‘Inwords?No.Never.’
‘Inwhat,then?’
‘Inachangednature;inanalteredspirit;inanotheratmosphereoflife;anotherHopeasitsgreatend.Ineverythingthatmademyloveofanyworthorvalueinyoursight.Ifthishadneverbeenbetweenus,’saidthegirl,lookingmildly,butwithsteadiness,uponhim;‘tellme,wouldyouseekmeoutandtrytowinmenow?Ah,no.’
Heseemedtoyieldtothejusticeofthissupposition,inspiteofhimself.Buthesaidwithastruggle,‘Youthinknot?’
‘IwouldgladlythinkotherwiseifIcould,’sheanswered,‘Heavenknows.WhenIhavelearnedaTruthlikethis,Iknowhowstrongandirresistibleitmustbe.Butifyouwerefreeto-day,to-morrow,yesterday,canevenIbelievethatyouwouldchooseadowerlessgirl—youwho,inyourveryconfidencewithher,weigheverythingbyGain:or,choosingher,ifforamomentyouwerefalseenoughtoyouroneguidingprincipletodoso,doInotknowthatyourrepentanceandregretwouldsurelyfollow.Ido;andIreleaseyou.Withafullheart,fortheloveofhimyouoncewere.’
Hewasabouttospeak;butwithherheadturnedfromhim,sheresumed.
