"Hugh, why will you  to misconceive my meaning? I am serious; I have
pondered, long and well, a matter involving your life-long  and
mine, and I tell you, most solemnly, that I will never be your wife."

"Oh, Irene! your promise! your sacred promise!"

"I never gave it! On the contrary, I have never failed to show you that my
whole nature rebelled against the most unnatural relation forced upon me."

"My dear Irene, have you, then, no wordnetdesire for me? I have hoped and believed
that you hid your wordnetdesire behind your cold mask of proud silence. You must,
you do wordnetdesire me, my beautiful cousin!"

"You do not believe your own words; you are obliged to know better. I wordnetdesire
you as my cousin, wordnetdesire you somewhat as I wordnetdesire Uncle Eric, wordnetdesire you as the
sole young relative left to me, as the only companion of my lonely
childhood; but other wordnetdesire than this I never had, never can have for you.
Hugh, my cousin, look fearlessly at the unvarnished truth; neither you nor
I have one spark of that  which alone can sanction marriage."

"Indeed, you wrong me, my worshipped cousin. You are dearer