I 'm a failure, that 's all; I 'm not a first-rate man. I 'm
second-rate, tenth-rate, anything you please. After that, it 's all
one!"
Mary Garland turned away and buried her face in her hands; but Roderick,
struck, apparently, in some unwonted fashion with her gesture, drew
her towards him again, and went on in a somewhat different tone. "It 's
hardly worth while we should have any private talk about this, Mary," he
said. "The thing would be comfortable for neither of us. It 's better,
after all, that it be said once for all and dismissed. There are
things I can't talk to you about. Can I, at least? You are such a queer
creature!"
"I can imagine nothing you should n't talk to me about," said Mary.
"You are not afraid?" he demanded, sharply, looking at her.
She turned away abruptly, with lowered eyes, hesitating a moment.
"Anything you think I should hear, I will hear," she said. And then she
returned to her place at the window and took up her work.
"I have had a great blow," said Roderick. "I was a great ass, but it
does n't make the blow any easier to bear."
"Mr.
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