"
"But, Peregrine, while I'm away learning all this, where will you be?"
"I shall remain--here!"
"Oh, well, that's done it! I shall stay with you, of course!"
"That would be impossible," said I, as lightly as I could, "quite
impossible; such love as ours, that demands so much, would be a great
hindrance to your progress, don't you see? All the time you were
studying, I should hover around you most distractingly. No, we must
part--for a little while--"
"For how long, Peregrine?"
"Only two years, dear!"
"So long--so very long! Two years! Ah, no, no, I couldn't bear it!"
"Two years will--soon pass!" said I, between clenched teeth. "And of
course you will be--too busy to--miss me--very much--"
"Ah, how can you think so?"
"And you will be working for me as much as for your dear self, Diana,
and--our love--our future happiness. So you will go, dear heart--?"
"For two years? No--it's too long--you might die--O Peregrine!"
"The contingency is remote--I--I mean--"
"But I can't leave you! I mustn't--I won't! I shall be your wife!"
"No, Diana, that--that must wait until you--come back."
"Wait?" she gasped. "Peregrine--O Peregrine--"
"I want you to be free, Diana--"
"Well, I won't be! I'm not free and never shall be because I belong to
you and we belong to each other for ever and ever."
"Oh, my dear--my dear, God knows it!" cried I and clasped her to me in
yearning arms. "But I want you to go into this new life quite free and
unfettered, because it is a great and ever-growing wonder that you
should love me who am neither very handsome nor strong nor brave--so I
want you to meet men who are--fine gentlemen, and compare them with
poor me.
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