“You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every
line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy
whose poor heart you wounded even then. You have been in every prospect I
have ever seen since-on the river, on the sails of the ships, on the
marshes, in the clouds, in the light, in the darkness, in the wind, in
the woods, in the sea, in the streets. You have been the embodiment of
every graceful fancy that my mind has ever become acquainted with.”
“Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be.”
“But, in this separation I associate you only with the good and I will
faithfully hold you to that always, for you have done far more good than
harm, let me feel now what sharp distress I may.”
“And still I stood looking at the house, thinking how happy I should be
if I lived there with her, and knowing that I never was happy with her,
but always miserable.
“Do you want to be a gentleman, to spite her or to gain her over?
Because, if it is to spite her, I should think - but you know best -
that might be better and more independently done by caring nothing for
her words. And if it is to gain her over, I should think - but you know
best - she was not worth gaining over.”
