I am, and I _love her_. But surely the silent love of a man,
like mine, is no insult to a good woman--cannot harm her! A love that is
never spoken, not even whispered, can't hurt any one, except, perhaps,
the one who loves. You must acknowledge even _you_ have never heard a
hint; you _showed_ just now your real surprise at what circumstances
revealed to you! I'd die sooner than bring the slightest shadow of a
scandal on her, and I've hugged my secret tight. Have you any idea what
such a love means? How it grows and grows, its strength shut in, held
back, doubling and redoubling its powers!--its ideality increasing, the
passion _suppressed_, locked up! Good God! I tremble sometimes when I
think--suppose some day it should burst out, _break_ my control, MASTER
ME! [_A pause._] And here, now, I've told _you_; I'm sorry, but I had to
for _her_ sake again. Will you help me keep my secret?
MISS GODESBY. [_After a second's pause._] Yes, because I believe you.
WARDEN. And Mrs. Sterling?
MISS GODESBY. [_Slowly, with sincere meaning._] I envy her!
[_Her voice breaks and she turns away from him._
WARDEN. No one is to know I indorse Sterling's note?
MISS GODESBY. You needn't sign the note; my brother'd have to see it.
I'll take your word for the indorsement.
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