human
My dear Marchesa, said he,
gpt
There are other motives than those you speak of--the need of protection--the sense of solitude--the curse of dependence--gratitude for honorable affection. But you men never know women!
human
I grant that you are right there--we never do; neither do women ever know men. And yet each sex contrives to dupe and to fool the other! Listen to me. I have little acquaintance with my nephew, but I allow he is a handsome young gentleman, with whom a handsome young lady in her teens might fall in love in a ball-room. But you who have known the higher order of our species--you who have received the homage of men, whose thoughts and mind leave the small talk of drawing-room triflers--so poor and bald--you can not look me in the face and say that it is any passion resembling love which you feel for my nephew. And as to position, it is right that I should inform you that if he marry you he will have none. He may risk his inheritance. You will receive no countenance from his parents. You will be poor, but not free. You will not gain the independence you seek for. The sight of a vacant, discontented face in that opposite chair will be worse than solitude. And as to grateful affection, added the man of the world,
gpt
Mr. Egerton, said Beatrice,
human
I answer you frankly, replied the statesman,
gpt
But we women, answered Beatrice, with pathos,
human
she continued, after a short pause, and clasping her hands firmly together,
gpt
Yet, answered Audley,
human
We two, said he, smiling half sadly, half cynically--
gpt
Think over this well, said Audley, in the softest tone of his mellow voice.
human
Do you remember that when you first came to England, I told you that neither wedlock nor love had any lures for me. We grew friends upon that rude avowal, and therefore I now speak to you like some sage of old, wise because standing apart and aloof from all the affections and ties that mislead our wisdom. Nothing but real love--(how rare it is; has one human heart in a million ever known it!) nothing but real love can repay us for the loss of freedom--the cares and fears of poverty--the cold pity of the world that we both despise and respect. And all these, and much more, follow the step you would inconsiderately take--an imprudent marriage.
gpt
Audley Egerton, said Beatrice, lifting her dark, moistened eyes,
human
Real love--I thought that I knew it once. Looking back with remorse, I should doubt it now but for one curse that only real love, when lost, has the power to leave evermore behind it.
gpt
What is that?
human
A void here, answered Egerton, striking his heart.
gpt
Desolation!--Adieu!
human
Is it, murmured Egerton, as he pursued his way through the streets--