"I believe," I said, very slowly, "I believe ... you _do_ care...."
She said nothing.
"You care," I repeated.
She spoke then with an energy that had something of a threat in it. "Do
you think I would? Do you think I could?... or dare? Don't you
understand?" She faltered--"but then...." she added, and was silent for
a long minute. I felt the throb of a thousand pulses in my head, on my
temples. "Oh, yes, I care," she said slowly, "but that--that makes it
all the worse. Why, yes, I care--yes, yes. It hurts me to see you. I
might.... It would draw me away. I have my allotted course. And
you--Don't you see, you would influence me; you would be--you _are_--a
disease--for me."
"But," I said, "I could--I would--do anything."