"That is not what I fell in love with you
for! I will not give you up even for Death himself! He is not the ruler
of our world. No lover is worthy of the name who does not defy Death and
all his works!"
"I am not afraid of him, Hector. I, too, am ready to defy him. But is it
right to defy your mother?"
"It is, when she wants one to be false and dishonorable. For herself, I
will try to honor her as much as she leaves possible to me. But my
mother is not my parents."
"Oh, please, Hector, don't quibble. You would make me doubt you!"
"Well, we won't argue about it. Let us wait to hear what _your_
mother will say to it to-morrow, when I come to see you."
"You really will come? How pleased my mother will be!"
"Why, what else should I do? I thought you were just talking of the
honor we owe to our parents! Your mother is mine too."
"I was thinking of yours then."
"Well, I dare say I shall have a talk with _my_ mother first, but
what _your_ mother will think is of far more consequence to me. I
know only too well what my mother will say; but you must not take that
too much to heart. She has always had some girl or other in her mind for
me; but if a man has any rights, surely the strongest of all is the
right to choose for himself the girl to marry--if she will let him."
"Perhaps his mother would choose better."
"Perhaps you do not know, Annie, that I am five-and-twenty years of age:
if I have no right yet to judge for myself, pray when do you suppose I
shall?"
"It's not the right I'm thinking of, but the experience.
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