'I cannot screw myself up to it a second time,' she said.

'I am sure I cannot! Besides, I promised Mr.
Bealand.

And yet how can I continue to see you after such a rumour?
We shall be watched now, for certain.' 'Then don't see me.' 'I fear I must not for the present.

Altogether--' 'What ?' 'I am very depressed.' These views were not very inspiriting to Nicholas, as he construed them.
It may indeed have been possible that he construed them wrongly, and should have insisted upon her making the rumour true.

Unfortunately, too, he had come to her in a hurry through brambles and briars, water and weed, and the shaggy wildness which hung about his appearance at this fine and correct time of day lent an impracticability to the look of him.
'You blame me--you repent your courses--you repent that you ever, ever owned anything to me!' 'No, Nicholas, I do not repent that,' she returned gently, though with firmness.