"
"What! I go to that snow-white maiden with a lie on my lips!" he
exclaimed indignantly.
"No! go to her with truth on your lips and in your heart, except
as in unselfish loyalty to her and to your word you may hide some
truth that would give her pain. Mr. Van Berg, you word is pledged.
You have won her love and this is your only honorable course. Thus
far you have not done her intentional wrong, but if you rush away
from duty now in cowardly flight you will do her a bitter and fatal
wrong, for she loves you as only few women can love. She has grown
wan and pale in your absence, and it touched me to the heart to see
her yesterday, though she made such brave efforts to be cheerful
and to encourage father. O God, forgive me that I--Go to her when
you have become calm--your true self. Love like hers will take
what you can give till you can give more, and surely one so lovely
will soon win all. If ever I have seen human idolatry in any face
it has been in hers, and she will soon banish all this wild passion
from your mind. But be that as it may you must keep your word if
you would keep my respect, and I would not lose my respect for you
for the world.
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