"You were coerced by those in charge of you," he went on in a
level voice of argument, which yet broke into notes of tenderness,
"you were influenced into becoming engaged to this man who is
ridiculously unsuited to you. You, so full of life and boundless
joy! You, who will learn all of love's meaning presently, and what
it makes of existence, and what God meant by giving it to us
mortals. You are intended by nature to be a complete woman if you
did but know it--but such a life, tied to that half fish man, would
atrophy all that is finest in your character. You would grow really
into what they are trying to make you appear--after years of
hopelessness and suffering. Do you not feel all this, little star,
tell me?"

"Yes," Stella answered, "it is true--I have seemed to feel the
cords and the shackles pulling at me often, but never that they
were unbearable until I--spoke with you--and you put new thoughts
into my head."

"I did well, then. And because of a silly convention you would
ruin all your life by going on with these ways--it is
unthinkable!" and his deep voice vibrated with feeling. "It is a
mistake, that is all, and can be rectified,--if you were already
married to this man I would not plead so, because then you would
have crossed the Rubicon, and assumed responsibilities which you
would have to accept or suffer the consequences. But this
preliminary bond can be broken without hurt to either side. A man
of the good clergyman's type will not suffer in his emotions at
the loss of you--he suffices unto himself for those; his vanity
will be wounded--that is all. And surely it is better that should