With some people a first love will come so strongly that it makes a renewal of the passion impossible." He did not say that it would be so with himself; but it seemed to her that he intended that she should so understand him.
"I do not see why you should leave Clavering," she said.
"If you knew the nature of my regard for yourself, you would see why it should be so.

I do not say that there ought to be any such necessity.

If I were strong there would be no such need.

But I am weak--weak in this; and I could not hold myself under such control as is wanted for the work I have to do." When he had spoken of his love for the place--for the parish, there had been something of passion in his language; but now in the words which he spoke of himself and of his feeling for her, he was calm and reasonable and tranquil, and talked of his going away from her as he might have talked had some change of air been declared necessary for his health.

She felt that this was so, and was almost angry with him.
"Of course you must know what will be best for yourself;" she said.
"Yes; I know now what I must do, if such is to be your answer.