"'Oh!' says she, 'it must be a new sort of mistake, that kind.'

"'We're not fitted for one another,' says he.

"'Out with it,' says she. 'Don't you be afraid of my feelings; they are
well under control, as I think I can fairly say by this time.'

"'With a man in your own station of life,' says he, 'you'd be happier.'

"'There's many a man I might have been happier with,' replies she. 'That
ain't the thing to be discussed, seeing as I've got you.'

"'You might get rid of me,' says he.

"'You mean you might get rid of me,' she answers.

"'It comes to the same thing,' he says.

"'No, it don't,' she replies, 'nor anything like it. I shouldn't have
got rid of you for my pleasure, and I'm not going to do it for yours. You
can live like a decent man, and I'll go on putting up with you; or you
can live like a fool, and I shan't stand in your way. But you can't do
both, and I'm not going to help you try.'

"Well, he argued with her, and he tried the coaxing dodge, and he tried
the bullying dodge, but it didn't work, neither of it.

"'I've done my duty by you,' says she, 'so far as I've been able, and
that I'll go on doing or not, just as you please; but I don't do more.'