I think I know Charles well--too well to deem him capable of such
profligacy; I will not believe it."
"I don't wish you, my dear Miss Goodwin, to believe it; I only wish you
to suspend your opinion until time shall convince you. I considered it
my duty to mention the fact, and after that to leave you to the exercise
of your own judgment."
"I will not believe it," replied Alice, "because I place his
estrangement to a higher and nobler motive, and one more in accordance
with his honorable and generous character. I do believe, Mr. Woodward,
that his apparent coldness to me, of late, proceeds from delicacy, and
a disinterestedness that is honorable to him; at least I will interpret
his conduct in this light until I am perfectly convinced that he is the
profligate you describe him. I do not impute, in the disclosure you have
made, ungenerous motives to you; because, if you attempted to displace
my affections from your brother by groundless slander or deliberate
falsehood, you would be a monster, and as such I would look upon you,
and will, if it appears that you are maligning him for selfish
purposes of your own.
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