Ford Madox

Supposing that you should come upon us sitting together at one of the little tables in front of the club house, let us say, at Homburg, taking tea of an afternoon and watching the miniature golf, you would have said that, as human affairs go, we were an extraordinarily safe castle. We were, if you will, one of those tall ships with the white sails upon a blue sea, one of those things that seem the proudest and the safest of all the beautiful and safe things that God has permitted the mind of men to frame

And isn’t it incredible that during all that time Edward and Leonora never spoke a word to each other in private?

Leonora was extraordinarily fair and so extraordinarily the real

thing that she seemed too good to be true.

I was saying to myself: ‘Now, I’m in for it and I’ll really have a good time for once in my life—for once in my life!’ It was in the dark, in a carriage, coming back from a hunt ball.

or looking through you, for she hardly ever did look at you!—

We talked of it, of course, but I guess Florence got all she wanted out of one look at a place. She had the seeing eye.

Why does one do things? I just drifted in and wanted Florence.

For do you understand my whole attentions, my whole endeavours were to keep poor dear Florence on to topics like the finds at Cnossos and the mental spirituality of Walter Pater. I had to keep her at it, you understand, or she might die. For I was solemnly informed that if she became excited over anything or if her emotions were really stirred her little heart might cease to beat.

she wasn’t to think of love