He began with Margaret; told her of the Dame Van Eyck's goodness, and the resolution he had come to at last, and invited her co-operation.
She refused it plump.
"No, Gerard; you and I have never spoken of your family, but when you come to marriage--" She stopped, then began again.

"I do think your father has no ill-will to me more than to another.

He told Peter Buyskens as much, and Peter told me.

But so long as he is bent on your being a priest (you ought have told me this instead of I you), I could not marry you, Gerard, dearly as I love you." Gerard strove in vain to shake this resolution.

He found it very easy to make her cry, but impossible to make her yield.