We ran slowly back to the city, slowly, and very peacefully. Now and
again we talked a little, and argued a little.
"But," she said, "it will ruin your life if you marry a servant. So
please, please don't! What would I do when I knew I'd hurt you?"
"There's no life to ruin, Hilda. What's been is just dust and ashes.
You and I--we'll live for each other, and we'll try to help where
help's needed. It will be fine for me to have helped, after all these
foolish years--when I did only harm, and only half-hearted harm at
that."
"It would be so different if only--if only----"
"If only I loved you?" I freed one hand from the steering wheel and
put my arm around her. "But you feel tenderness?"
"I feel tenderness."