"Please say it," she breathed.
He seized her hands and drew them to his lips. "Nan, you are tempting me
almost beyond my power. Do you mean to tempt me? Are you trying to?"
She leaned low, so that her breath swept his cheek, and whispered,
"Yes."
"Oh, my God," he groaned. "Nan--are you insane? What if I say it--then
how much worse will it be? I can bear it better as it is now--and
you--can't mean it."
"_Say it!_" came the breath in his ear again.
He was silent for a while, breathing heavily. Presently he began to
speak in a quiet tone whose vibrations showed, nevertheless, the most
rigid self-control. He still held her hands, resting there upon his
shoulders, but he made no further effort to see her face.
"Nan," he said, "this friendship you give me is the dearest thing I ever
knew. It is worth everything to me. Let me keep it while you go away
for your year of work. Be the warmest friend to me you know how, and
write me everything about yourself. Meanwhile--keep your heart free
for--the man will surely come to claim it some day--a man who will be
worthy of you in every way, soul, mind, and--body.
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