What, then, was to be their future?
Could he accept her love, and join their lives without legal bond, thinking only of present happiness, and content to let things arrange themselves as they would in the years to come?
His heart strongly opposed such a step.

Clearly Ida had changed her life for his sake, and was undergoing hardships in the hope of winning his respect as well as his love.

Would she have done all this without something of a hope that she might regain her place in the every-day world, and be held by Waymark worthy to become his wife?
He could not certainly know, but there was little doubt that this hope had led her on.

Could he believe her capable of yet nobler ideas; could he think that only in reverence of the sanctity of love, and without regard to other things, she had acted in this way; then, regarding her as indeed his equal, he would open his heart to her and speak somewhat in this way.

"Yes, I do love you; but at the same time I know too well the uncertainty of love to go through the pretence of binding myself to you for ever.