I have been thinking about it for a long, long time.'
'I want to be serious with you too, Rosa dear. I mean to be
serious and earnest.'
'Thank you, Eddy. And you will not think me unkind because I
begin, will you? You will not think I speak for myself only,
because I speak first? That would not be generous, would it? And
I know you are generous!'
He said, 'I hope I am not ungenerous to you, Rosa.' He called her
Pussy no more. Never again.
'And there is no fear,' pursued Rosa, 'of our quarrelling, is
there? Because, Eddy,' clasping her hand on his arm, 'we have so
much reason to be very lenient to each other!'
'We will be, Rosa.'
'That's a dear good boy! Eddy, let us be courageous. Let us
change to brother and sister from this day forth.'
'Never be husband and wife?'
'Never!'
Neither spoke again for a little while. But after that pause he
said, with some effort:
'Of course I know that this has been in both our minds, Rosa, and
of course I am in honour bound to confess freely that it does not
originate with you.'
'No, nor with you, dear,' she returned, with pathetic earnestness.
'That sprung up between us. You are not truly happy in our
engagement; I am not truly happy in it. O, I am so sorry, so
sorry!' And there she broke into tears.
'I am deeply sorry too, Rosa. Deeply sorry for you.'
'And I for you, poor boy! And I for you!'
This pure young feeling, this gentle and forbearing feeling of each
towards the other, brought with it its reward in a softening light
that seemed to shine on their position.
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