'Why not?' she said naively.

'There is a reason why, my Elfride.'

'Not any one that I know of.'

'Suppose there is something connected with me which makes it
almost impossible for you to agree to be my wife, or for your
father to countenance such an idea?'

'Nothing shall make me cease to love you: no blemish can be found
upon your personal nature. That is pure and generous, I know; and
having that, how can I be cold to you?'

'And shall nothing else affect us--shall nothing beyond my nature
be a part of my quality in your eyes, Elfie?'

'Nothing whatever,' she said with a breath of relief. 'Is that
all? Some outside circumstance? What do I care?'

'You can hardly judge, dear, till you know what has to be judged.
For that, we will stop till we get home. I believe in you, but I
cannot feel bright.'

'Love is new, and fresh to us as the dew; and we are together. As
the lover's world goes, this is a great deal. Stephen, I fancy I
see the difference between me and you--between men and women
generally, perhaps. I am content to build happiness on any
accidental basis that may lie near at hand; you are for making a