Mother and Child

Mother and Child
My Sweet Rose painting
Naiade oil painting
Nighthawks Hopper
¡¡¡¡ "Yes; I suppose we can," said Sue, without enthusiasm. ¡¡¡¡ "And aren't we going to?" ¡¡¡¡ "I don't like to say no, dear Jude; but I feel just the same about it now as I have done all along. I have just the same dread lest an iron contract should extinguish your tenderness for me, and mine for you, as it did between our unfortunate parents." ¡¡¡¡ "Still, what can we do? I do love you, as you know, Sue." ¡¡¡¡ "I know it abundantly. But I think I would much rather go on living always as lovers, as we are living now, and only meeting by day. It is so much sweeter--for the woman at least, and when she is sure of the man. And henceforward we needn't be so particular as we have been about appearances." ¡¡¡¡ "Our experiences of matrimony with others have not been encouraging, I own," said he with some gloom; "either owing to our own dissatisfied, unpractical natures, or by our misfortune. But we two----" ¡¡¡¡ "Should be two dissatisfied ones linked together, which would be twice as bad as before.... I think I should begin to be afraid of you, Jude, the moment you had contracted to cherish me under a Government stamp, and I was licensed to be loved on the premises by you--Ugh, how horrible and sordid! Although, as you are, free, I trust you more than any other man in the world." ¡¡¡¡ "No, no--don't say I should change!" he expostulated; yet there was misgiving in his own voice also.