She said: "You know what father and mother are. Even I have something left of their old-fashioned conservatism clinging to me--and yet people consider me extremely liberal in my views. But all my liberality, all my modern education since I left the dear old absurdities of our narrow childhood and youth, can not reconcile me to what you threaten us with--with what you are threatened--you, your entire future life." "What seems to threaten you--and them--is my marriage to the woman with whom I'm in love. Does that shock you?" "The circumstances shock me." "I could not control the circumstances." "You can control yourself, Louis." "Yes--I can do that. I can break her heart and mine." "Hearts don't break, Louis. And is anybody to live life through exempt from suffering? If your unhappiness comes early in life to you it will pass the sooner, leaving the future tranquil for you, and you ready for it, unperplexed--made cleaner, purer, braver by a sorrow that came, as comes all sorrow--and that has gone its way, like all sorrows, leaving you the better and the worthier." "How is it to leave _her_?" He spoke so naturally, so simply, that for the moment his sister did not recognise in him what had never before been there to recognise--the thought of another before himself. Afterward she remembered it. She said quietly: "If Valerie West is a girl really sincere and meriting your respect, she will face this matter as you face it." "Yes--she would do that," he said, thoughtfully. "Then I think that the sooner you explain matters to her--" He laughed: "_I_ don't have to explain anything to her, Lily." "What do you mean?" "She knows how things stand. She is perfectly aware of your world's attitude toward her. She has not the slightest intention of forcing herself on you, or of asking your indulgence or your charity." "You mean, then, that she desires to separate you from your family--from your friends--" "No," he said wearily, "she does not desire that, either." His sister's troubled eyes rested on him in silence for a while; then: "I know she is beautiful; I am sure she is good, Louis--good in--in her own way--worthy, in her own fashion. But, dear, is that all that you, a Neville, require of the woman who is to bear your name--bear your children?" "She _is_ all I require--and far more." "Dear, you are utterly blinded by your infatuation!" "You do not know her." "Then let me!" exclaimed Mrs. Collis desperately. "Let me meet her, Louis--let me talk with her--" "No.... And I'll tell you why, Lily; it's because she does not care to meet you." "What!" "I have told you the plain truth. She sees no reason for knowing you, or for knowing my parents, or any woman in a world that would never tolerate her, never submit to her entrance, never receive her as one of them!--a world that might shrug and smile and endure her as my wife--and embitter my life forever."