d
and arms outstretched in welcome. Oh, I saw the curved lips and
outstretched arms, and all the splendid young womanhood swaying there,
and I was pleased and all that; but I did not think it too wonderful and
impossible and miraculous and the rest of the fond rubbish I am sure
poor Bidwell thinks when his eyes are gladdened by his ordinary sort of
girl when he calls upon her.

What a comely young woman, is what I thought as I pressed Hester's
hands; and none of the ordinary sort either. She has health and strength
and beauty and youth, and she will certainly make a most charming wife
and excellent mother. Thus I thought, and then we chatted, had lunch,
and passed a delightful afternoon together--an afternoon such as I might
pass with you, or any good comrade, or with my wife.

All of which rational rightness is, I know, distasteful to you, Dane.
And I confess I depict it with brutal frankness, failing to give credit
to the gentler, tenderer side of me. Believe me, I am very fond of
Hester. I respect and admire her. I am proud of her, too, and proud of
myself that so fine a creature should find enough in me to be willing to
mate with me. It will be a happy marriage. There is nothing cramped or
narrow or incompatible about it. We know each other well--a wisdom that
is acquired by lovers only after marriage, and even then with the
likelihood of it being a painful wisdom. We, on the other hand, are not
blinded by love madness, and we see clearly and sanely and are confident
of our ability to live out the years together.

HERBERT.

VIII

FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME

THE RIDGE,
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.
December 11, 19--.

I have been thinking about your romance and my rational rightness, and
so this letter.

"_One loves because he loves: this explanation is, as yet, the most
serious and most decisive that has been found for the solution of this
problem._" I do not know who has said this, but it might well have been
you. And you might well say with Mlle. de Scuderi: "_Love is--I know not
what: which comes--I know not when: which is formed--I know not how:
which enchants--I know not by what: and which ends--I know not when or
why_."

You explain love by asserting that it is not to be explained. And
therein lies our difference. You accept results; I search for causes.
You stop at the gate of the mystery, worshipful and content. I go on and
through, flinging the gate wide and formulating the law of the mystery