So much for the sentimental point of view--a starting-point, by the way, which usually makes all the difference in a man's life.

For a man needs to be loved as much as a woman needs it.
From the practical point of view, Karl Steinmetz knew too much about Etta to place entire reliance on the goodness of her motives.

He keenly suspected that she was marrying Paul for his money--for the position he could give her in the world.
"We must be careful," he said.

"We must place clearly before ourselves the risks that we are running before we come to any decision.

For you the risk is simply that of unofficial banishment.