DOI article:
Traill, Henry D.: The papers of Basil Fillimer
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21806#0029
ßy H. D. Traill 25
character and had arrived at the confident conclusion that absolute
unselfishness formed its most distinctive feature. Nor was he at
all shaken in this opinion by the fact that when a little later on
he informed her of the nature of his sentiments towards her, he
found that she agreed with him in thinking that his then income
was not enough to marry upon, and that they had better wait
until the death of an uncle of his from whom he had expectations.
I feit rather curious to know what passed at the interview between
them, and questioned him on the subject.
“ As to this objection on the ground of the insufficiency of
your income, did it come from you,” I asked, “ or from her ? ”
“ What a question,” said Basil, contemptuously. “From me
of course.”
“ But at once ? ”
“ How do you mean, at once ? ”
“ Well, was there any interval between your telling her you
loved her and your adding that you did not think you were well
enough off to marry just at present ? ”
“ Any interval ? No, of course not. It would have been
obviously unfair and ungenerous on my part to have made her a
declaration of love without at the same time adding that I could
not ask her to share my present poverty and-”
“ Oh,” I interrupted, “ you said that at the same time, did you ?
Then she had nothing to do but to agree ? ”
“Well, no, of course not,” said Basil. “ But, my dear fellow,”
he continued, with his usual half-pitying smile, “ you don’t see the
point. The point is, that she agreed reluctantly—indeed with quite
obvious reluctance.”
“ Did she press you to reconsider your decision ? ’
“ Well, no, she could hardly do that, you know. It would not
be quite consistent with maidenly reserve and so forth. But
she
character and had arrived at the confident conclusion that absolute
unselfishness formed its most distinctive feature. Nor was he at
all shaken in this opinion by the fact that when a little later on
he informed her of the nature of his sentiments towards her, he
found that she agreed with him in thinking that his then income
was not enough to marry upon, and that they had better wait
until the death of an uncle of his from whom he had expectations.
I feit rather curious to know what passed at the interview between
them, and questioned him on the subject.
“ As to this objection on the ground of the insufficiency of
your income, did it come from you,” I asked, “ or from her ? ”
“ What a question,” said Basil, contemptuously. “From me
of course.”
“ But at once ? ”
“ How do you mean, at once ? ”
“ Well, was there any interval between your telling her you
loved her and your adding that you did not think you were well
enough off to marry just at present ? ”
“ Any interval ? No, of course not. It would have been
obviously unfair and ungenerous on my part to have made her a
declaration of love without at the same time adding that I could
not ask her to share my present poverty and-”
“ Oh,” I interrupted, “ you said that at the same time, did you ?
Then she had nothing to do but to agree ? ”
“Well, no, of course not,” said Basil. “ But, my dear fellow,”
he continued, with his usual half-pitying smile, “ you don’t see the
point. The point is, that she agreed reluctantly—indeed with quite
obvious reluctance.”
“ Did she press you to reconsider your decision ? ’
“ Well, no, she could hardly do that, you know. It would not
be quite consistent with maidenly reserve and so forth. But
she