"I shall be back in time for dinner. You will wait dinner a little
for me, I may have to come back by a later train."
And they walked down the hill together, Ned bidding her good-bye
at the garden gate, saying she had walked enough that day, and she
feeling the moment was at hand.
"But, Ned, why are you going to Dublin? You are only going to see
people who are anti-Catholic, who hate our religion, who are
prejudiced against it."
"But," he said, "why do you talk of these things. We have got on
very much better since we have ceased to discuss politics
together. We are agreed in everything else."
She did not answer for a long time and then she said:--
"But I don't see how we are to avoid discussing them, for it is my
money that supports the agitation."
"I never thought of that. So it is. Do you wish to withdraw it?"
"You are not angry with me, Ned? You won't think it mean of me to
withdraw my money? How are you going to go on without my money?
You see I am wrecking your political career."
"Oh," he said, "I shall be able to get on without it. Now, good-
bye."
"May I go to the station with you?"
"If you like, only let us talk of something else. Everyone's
conscience is his own law and you must act accordingly."
She trotted by his side, and she begged of him not to laugh at her
when he said that to be truly logical she would have to turn him
out of the house, or at least to charge him for his board and
lodging.
The intonation of his voice laid her heart waste; she felt she was
done for, and she walked home repeating the words, "I am done
for.
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