"No, how can you? You've never had a chance of seeing any of it.
You'd get sick of me in no time.I'm moody and selfish and bad-tempered.I used to drink a bit too.And I can't be faithful to women.I might think I was going to be faithful to you and swear Iwould be--and then suddenly some one would come along.I thought for a bit I'd just go on with you and see what came of it.You're so unusual, you make me want to be straight with you; but I've seen it wouldn't be fair.I must just slip out of your path and you'll forget me, and then you'll meet a much better man than I and be happy.I'm queer--I have funny moods that last for days and days sometimes.I seem to do every one harm I come in touch with.There's my father now.I love him more than any one in the world, and yet Imake him unhappy all the time.I'm a bad fellow to be with--"He stopped suddenly, looked at her and laughed."It isn't any good, Maggie...You haven't any idea what a sweep I am.You'd hate me if you really knew."She looked steadily back at him."We haven't much time," she said, speaking with steady, calm conviction as though she had, for years, been expecting just such a conversation as this, and had thought out what she would say."Aunt Elizabeth can come back earlier than she said.Perhaps I shall say something I oughtn't to.I don't care.The whole thing is that I love you.I suppose it's true that I don't know anything about men, but I'd be poor enough if my love for you just depended on your loving me back, and on your being good to me and all the rest of it.I've never had any one I could love until you came, but now that you have come it can't be anything that you can do that can alter it.If you were to go away I'd still love you, because it's the love in me that matters, not what I get for it.