Waymark was
honest enough in his self-communing to admit that he could not trust
himself. Gross deception he was incapable of, but he would not
answer for it that, the temptation pressing him too hard, he might
not be guilty of allowing Ida to think his love of more worth than
it really was. She knew his contempt of conventional ties, and her
faith in him would keep her from pressing him to any step he
disliked; she would trust him without that. And such trust would be
unmerited.
It was significant that he did not take into account loyalty to Maud
as a help in resisting this temptation. He was too sure of himself
as regarded that purer love; let what might happen, his loyalty to
Maud would be unshaken. It was independent of passion, and passion
could not shake it.
Then came the subject of the proposed acquaintance between Ida and
Mrs. Casti. An impulse of friendship had led to his conceiving the
idea; together, perhaps, with the recollection of what Ida had said
about her loneliness, and the questions she had asked about Mrs.
Casti. Waymark had little doubt that those questions indicated a
desire to become acquainted with his friends; the desire was
natural, under the circumstances.
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