ives nobody. They wait for nature
to set up an attraction which shall overrule their judgment, rather than
act by judgment first and leave it to nature to take care of herself.
How much better it would be to be perfectly frank--to boldly announce
the purpose--to come as I now come to you and say, 'Zen, I want to marry
you. My reason, my judgment, tells me that you would be an ideal mate.
I shall be proud of you, and I will try to make you proud of me. I will
gratify your desires in every way that my means will permit. I pledge
you my fidelity in return for yours. I--I--' Zen, will you say yes? Can
you believe that there is in my simple words more sincerity than there
could be in any mad ravings about love? You are young, Zen, younger than
I, but you must have observed some things. One of them is that marriage,
founded on mutual respect, which increases with the years, is a much
safer and wiser business than marriage founded on a passion which
quickly burns itself out and leaves the victims cold, unresponsive, with
nothing in common. You may not feel that you know me well enough for a
decision. I will give you every opportunity to know me better--I will do
nothing to deceive you--I will put on no veneer--I will let you know me
as I really am. Will you say yes?"

He had left his seat and approached her; he was leaning close over her
chair. While his words had suggested marriage on a purely intellectual
basis he did not hesitate to bring his physical presence into the scale.
He was accustomed to having his way--he had always had it--never did he
want it more than he did now.... And although he had made his plea from
the intellectual angle he was sure, he was very, very sure there
was more than that. This girl; whose very presence delighted
him--intoxicated him--would have made him mad--

"Will you say yes?" he repeated, and his hands found hers and drew her
with his great strength up from her chair. She did not resist, but when
she was on her feet she avoided his embrace.

"You must not hurry me," she whispered. "I must have time to think. I
did not realize what you were saying until--"

"Say yes now," he urged. Transley was a man very hard to resist. She
felt as though she were in the grip of a powerful machine; it was as
though she were being swept along by a stream against which her feeble
strength was as nothing. Zen was as nearly frightened as she had ever
been in her vigorous young life. And yet there was somethin