"
"Is this a trial of strength?" she asked after a moment's pause.
"If it is, I am not conscious of it. It costs me no effort to go--it
would cost me much to stay behind--too much."
He stood quite still before her, looking steadily into her eyes. There
was a short silence, and then she suddenly looked down, moved and turned
away, beginning to walk slowly about. The room was large, and he paced
the floor beside her, looking down at her bent head.
"Will you stay if I ask you to?"
The question came in a lower and softer tone than she had used before.
"I will go with you," answered Orsino as firmly as ever.
"Will you do nothing for my asking?"
"I will do anything but that."
"But that is all I ask."
"You are asking the impossible."
"There are many reasons why you should not come with me. Have you
thought of them all?"
"No."
"You should. You ought to know, without being told by me, that you would
be doing me a great injustice and a great injury in following me. You
ought to know what the world will say of it.
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