It was rooted like an oak on our stiff English soil, its fibres wrapped his heart and shot his being through, and if so strong a gale should rise that it must fall, then he too would be overthrown.
For years now he had thought of little else than Beatrice.

To win her he would have given all his wealth, ay, thrice over, if that were possible.
To win her, to know her his by right and his alone, ah, that would be heaven! His blood quivered and his mind grew dim when he thought of it.
What would it be to see her standing by him as she stood now, and know that she was his wife! There is no form of passion more terrible than this.

Its very earthiness makes it awful.
The service went on.

At last Mr.Granger mounted the pulpit and began to read his sermon, of which the text was, "But the greatest of these is charity." Geoffrey noticed that he bungled over some of the words, then suddenly remembered Beatrice had told him that she had written the sermon, and was all attention.

He was not disappointed.