frightening starkness is an act from which he shrinks with all the
modesty of a (perhaps) deluded sex. I took courage. "I want," I
repeated, "to put things clearly before you. You are marrying this
young man. You will have a week's married life. He goes away like
a gallant fellow to fight for his country. He may be killed in the
course of the next few weeks. Like a brave girl you've got to face
it. In the course of time a child may be born--without a father
to look after him. It's a terrific responsibility."

She knelt upright and put both her hands on my shoulders, almost
embracing me, and the laughter died away from her eyes, giving
place to something which awakened memories of what I had seen once
or twice in the eyes of the dearest of all women. She put her face
very close to mine and whispered:

"Don't you see, dear, it's in some sort of way because of that?
Don't you think it would be awful for a strong, clean, brave
English life like his to go out without leaving behind him someone
to--well, you know what I mean--to carry on the same traditions--
to be the same clean brave Englishman in the future?"

I smiled and nodded. Quite a different kind of nod from the
previous one.

"Thousands of girls are doing it, you dear old Early Victorian,
and aren't ashamed to say so to those who really love and can
understand them. And you do love and understand, don't you?"

She set me off at arm's length, and held me with her bright
unflinching eyes.