'You do not act as though you loved her,' said Frau von Sigmundskron
coldly. Two days earlier it had seemed to her that in renouncing Hilda
he was giving proof of a heroic devotion, and yet she was not really an
inconsistent woman.
'I mean to,' answered Greif rather hotly. 'If I refuse to marry her, it
is because I love her too much to do her such an irreparable injury. I
do not see how I could love her more. As for the rest, it has nothing
to do with my love or hers. You are the only heir to Greifenstein after
me, and when I die it will in any case be all yours, or Hilda's. I can
do nothing with so much, and you may as well have the benefit of what
will be yours some day--perhaps very soon. Is that unreasonable? Does
that offend you? If it does, let us say no more about it, and forgive
me for having said as much.'
'It would be better not to speak of the fortune,' said the baroness,
beginning to relent.
'And you understand me--about Hilda?'
'I cannot say that I do,' replied Frau von Sigmundskron with all the
obstinacy of a good woman thoroughly roused in what she believes to be
a good cause. 'You love her, and yet you are willing to make her
miserably unhappy. The two facts do not agree.'
Greif suppressed a groan and looked at the trees before he answered. If
she would only have left him alone, it would have been so much easier
to do what he knew was right.
'It is perhaps better that she should be unhappy for a time, now, while
she is young, than regret her name when she has taken mine.
Pages:
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327