you--I can do nothing without you. If you leave me, I shall never be able
to write my play; it can only be written under your influence. I love you,
Julia!' She allowed him to draw her towards him, and then she broke away.

'Oh,' she said, 'why do you say these things? You only make my task harder.
You know that I cannot betray my friend. Why do you tempt me to do a
dishonourable action?'

'A dishonourable action! What do you mean? It is the only way to save her.
Once we are married, she will forget. No doubt she will shed a few tears;
but to save the body we must often lose a limb. It is even so. Things
cannot go on as they are. We cannot watch her withering away under our very
eyes; and that is what is actually happening. I have thought it all over,
considered it from every point of view, and have come to the conclusion
that--that, well, that we had better marry. You must have seen that I
always liked you. I did not myself know how much until a few days ago. Say
that I am not wholly disagreeable to you.'

'No; I will not listen to you! My conscience tells me plainly where my duty
lies. Not for all the world will I play Emily false. I shudder to think of
such a thing; it would be the basest ingratitude. I owe everything to her.
When I hadn't a penny in the world, and when in my homelessness I wrote to
Mr. Burnett, she pleaded in my favour, and decided him to take me as a
companion. No, no! a thousand times no! Let go my hands. Do you not know
what it is to be loyal?'

'I hope I do. But, as I have explained, it is the only solution. The
romantic attachments of young girls, unless nipped in the bud, often end
fatally. Do you not see how ill she is looking? She is wearing her life
away. We shall be acting in her best interests. Besides, she is not the