It seemed as though he assumed so great a superiority that he felt himself able to treat any resolve of hers as the petulance of a child.

And though he spoke in strong language of his love, and of his longing that she should come to him, yet he was so well able to command his feelings, that he showed no sign of grief at the communication she had made to him.

She did not doubt his love, but she believed him to be so much the master of his love,--as he was the master of everything else, that her separation from him would cause him no uncontrollable grief.

In that she utterly failed to understand his character.

Had she known him better, she might have been sure that such a separation now would with him have carried its mark to the grave.