e least
intention of breaking off his intercourse with Ida, despite the
certainty that passion would grow upon him with each of their meetings,
rendering their mutual relations more and more dangerous. Of only one
thing could he be sure: marriage was not to be thought of. It remained,
then, that he was in danger of being led into conduct which would be
the source of grievous unrest to himself, and for Ida would lay the
foundation of much suffering. 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. Still, he regretted what he had done. To introduce Ida
to his friends would be almost equivalent to avowing some conventional
relations between her and himself. And, in the next place, it would be
an obstacle in the way of those relations becoming anything but
conventional. Well, and was not this exactly the kind of aid he needed
in pursuing the course which he felt to be right? Truly; yet--

At this point Waymark broke into that half contemptuous, half indulgent
laugh which so frequently interrupted his self-communings, and, it
being nearly one o'clock, set out to call for Ida. The day was fine,
and, when they left the steamer at Putney, they walked on to the heath
in good spirits and with cheerful talk. To be with Ida under these
circumstances, in the sunlight and the fresh breeze, was very