He could not see himself as the husband of Paula Power in any likely future.

He could not imagine her his wife.

People were apt to run into mistakes in their presentiments; but though he could picture her as queening it over him, as avowing her love for him unreservedly, even as compromising herself for him, he could not see her in a state of domesticity with him.
Telegrams being commanded, to the telegraph he repaired, when, after two days, an immediate wish to communicate with her led him to dismiss vague conjecture on the future situation.

His first telegram took the following form:-- 'I give up the letter writing.

I will part with anything to please you but yourself.