‘Fanny,’ said William, ‘I shall be far away from you before another day has passed.’
‘Yes, many miles at sea, William’
‘But my heart will remain at home.’
‘And mine will leave it.’
‘In safe keeping, Fanny.’
‘I doubt it not, William.’
‘I find it even harder than I had supposed to leave you Fanny, now that the time has actually arrived.’
‘I do not think that we should regret it William, after all, for it will be the source of much improvement to you no doubt, and that you know is very desirable to us all. While I regret to think you are about to leave us I also envy you the experience you necessarily gain of the world, something that books cannot teach.’
‘You are a strange girl, Fanny.’
‘Do you love me any the less because I speak as I feel? William, I have no secrets from you.’
‘No, no, my dear girl, I only love thee the more, while I am still more surprised at thy brave and noble spirit, at the judgment and thought that characterises one of thy sex and tender years. By my soul thou shouldst have been a man, Fanny.’
‘Had I been, why, I would have done just that which thou art about to do—go abroad and see the world.’
‘And if you had a Fanny too at home whom you loved, would you go and leave her behind?’
‘Yes, because like you I should not know how dearly she loved me—perhaps.’
William pressed her hand and paused thoughtfully for a moment, then turning to her by his side resumed:
‘Fanny!’
‘Well—William.’
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