And so, henceforth, I less could welcome him. How could I do it,—with his views of her, Yet wooing her?—He wellnigh made me doubt If I might not mistake her,—doubt I check’d, Flush’d fiercely soon that Elbert’s deeds could hint Thought so unworthy. When I spoke to him, He laugh’d me off. “Why, man, I like your friend, And she likes me; and with the other sex The more we like, sometimes, the less we love— Or think we love. Do I deceive her, then, In showing friendliness?—Why think you so?— Forsooth, if beauty pleases me, I smile; If gracefulness beguile me, gaze at it; If wisdom awe me, offer my respect. Good art I laud; with fancy, am a poet; And with emotion, an enthusiast. What then?—Am I a hypocrite?—How so?— Must all our sympathy be personal? Must one appropriate all that he would praise? Is beauty such a flower, or is a man So much a beast, that, having taste for it, He needs must go and gorge it down?—Go to!— I watch the fair thing; of its fragrance quaff; Then leave for others. Edith knows this well; For that, trust her.” XXXIV. But was it, as he claim’d? Were both of them so wise?—Or would he now By sheer sharp practice cut us two apart? This more seem’d like him, and more anger’d me. Was I a boy that he should foil me thus? Yet what to do?—The more I question’d this, The more I saw but only one true course. Our aims—my own and Edith’s—differ’d much. Yet knew I more than this. Our hearts were one In all desires that had inspired these aims. And if our lives and hearts could be but join’d, Could not my love and hers, together put, Outweigh such aims as would be hers alone? Why not have faith in love, mine join’d with hers? What power was mightier in the universe? Why not have faith to trust this only soul That ever I had met, to whom my moods Could be unroll’d, assured of insight there To read them rightly? Why, ’twas all decreed: Her power to read my soul gave her the right To know its love, whatever might be hers. And were I but to speak the truth to her, So tell her all, why fear the simple truth? For I would say I loved her, not her aims. If then she should prefer her aims to me, It would be proof that she could love me not. But if she should prefer me to her aims, Then surely she could yield her wish to mine. XXXV.