was at present engaged to him. At which he got perfectly furious and
said he would not marry that certain person if she was the only woman
left on earth; that she had treated him as no lady should treat a
gentleman, and that she was vain and mercenary and ambitious, and he
was mortified to think he had ever imagined he had loved so shallow and
weak and changeable a girl, and--

"But you did love her, didn't you?" I got up on the gate-post, swung
my feet down, and put my hands in my lap and out of reach, the post not
being big enough for two. "Everybody says you were frightfully in love
with her and you didn't think she was shallow and weak and mercenary
until you had the break, and maybe you may change your mind back again
about her some day, and then where would I be?" I put my chin in my
hands and my elbows in my lap and looked down at him, and he looked so
hurt and surprised that I saw he had not thought of his own real gift
for changing, and I realized that his attention ought to be drawn to
some things he was apt to forget. Quick as a flash, though, he said I
had opened new worlds to him; that I stimulated and inspired him as no
one had ever done, and that he would never love any one as he loved me,
and that he would wait forever if necessary for me. Also he said he
would never change back again to a certain person, as she had killed
his love, and would I not promise to be just his? And I had to sit
tight on my hands, his manner was so very imploring; and then, before I
could say anything, I heard Mr. Willie Prince, who was sitting on the
front porch, fanning, cough rather loud and come down the steps and
call Ben, who was barking, and I knew Mr. Willie was doing what he
thought was his duty, and I got down from the post and told Whythe good
night. He went away like the young man in the Bible, very sorrowful,
and I went in.