"Oh! a man! Mr. March, there's an end to this bench. No! John, I don't mock you; I honor you; I've always been proud of you--Now--now, John, let go my hand! John, if you don't let go my hand I'll leave you; you naughty boy!--No, I won't answer a thing till you let me go! John March, let go my hand this instant! Now I shall sit here. You'll keep the bench, please. Yes, I do remember it all, and regret it!" She turned away in real dejection, saying, in her heart, "But I shall do no better till I die--or--or get married!" She faced John again. "Oh, if I'd thought you'd remember it forty days it shouldn't have occurred! I saw in you just a brave, pure-hearted, sensible boy. I thought it would be pleasant, and even elevating--to you--while it lasted, and that you'd soon see how--how ineligible--indeed I did!" Both were silent. "Fannie Halliday," said John at last, standing before her as slim and rank as a sapling, but in the dignity of injured trust, "when year after year you saw I loved you, why did you still play me false!" "Now, Mr. March, you're cruel." "Miss Fannie Halliday, have you been kind?" "I meant to be! I never meant to cheat you! I kept hoping you'd understand! Sometimes I tried to make you understand, didn't I? I'm very sorry, John. I know I've done wrong. But I--I meant well. I really did!" The youth waved an arm. "You've wrecked my life. Oh, Fannie, I'm no mere sentimentalist. I can say in perfect command of these wild emotions, 'Enchantress, fare thee well!'" "Oh, fare thee fiddlesticks!" Fannie rose abruptly. "No, no, I didn't mean that, John, but--aw! now, I didn't _mean_ to smile! Oh, let's forget the past--oh! now, yes, you can! Let's just be simple, true friends! And one of these days you'll love some sweet, true girl, and she'll love you and I'll love her, and--" she took his arm. He looked down on her. "_I_ love again!--_I_--? Ah! how little you women understand men! Oh, Fannie! to love twice is never to have loved. You are my first--my last!" "Oh, no, I'm not," said Fannie, blithely and aloud, as they reentered the room. Then softly, behind her fan, "I've a better one in store for you, now!" "Two!" groaned the bass viol and bassoon. "Two! two! two-to-to-two!" and with a propitiative smile on John's open anguish, Fannie, gayer in speech and readier in laughter, but not lighter in heart, let a partner waltz her away. As John turned, one of his committee seized his arm and showed a watch. XIX. MR. RAVENEL SHOWS A "MORE EXCELLENT WAY" Urged by all sorts and on all sides, the Northerners lingered a day or two more, visiting battle-fields and things. At Turkey Creek Halliday was talkative, Garnet overflowed with information, Captains Champion and Shotwell were boyish, and Colonel Proudfit got tight. They ate cold fried chicken and drank-- "Whew!--stop, stop!--I can't take--Why, half that would"--etc. "Where's Mr. Ravenel?"