Her feeling for me may be nothing but
pure kindness, for she is kindness itself."
"Still, I think you should tell her," I said, with such a heavy
heart!
He shook his head. "There are reasons why my faith might be
questioned, my motives doubted; and I couldn't bear that."
"But if you are perfectly sure of your own feelings, if there is
absolutely no doubt in your mind that you love her--"
"Love her? I never thought," he said, "that any woman could mean so
much to a man! I never dreamed that just one woman could be in
herself all that a man needs to hold fast to! Love her? I have been
all over the world and I have seen many women in many lands, but
never any woman of them all, save that one, for me! It was a
revelation to me, that I could care so much. Ah! I wish I could make
it plain just how much I do care!"
I had not known until that moment how much the heart can bear of
anguish and not break.
"I hope she loves you just as much in return, Mr. Jelnik. I hope
with all my heart you will be happy, both of you."
"I hope she does! I hope we shall!" he cried, with ardor. "Why, if
I could be sure she cares for me, like that, if I could know that
all other men counted as little with her as all other women count
with me! But I am not sure.
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