I must not, for my own sake, continue to meet her, to see her and speak with her.

No; I would avoid her if I could, but, at all events, I would break off the association, even if I were obliged to offend her, deliberately offend her, to accomplish my purpose.

I swore it; and then I swore at myself for being so weak-minded as to need to swear.

That I should be afraid of a girl, a mere girl, ten years younger than I, who, as the casual pastime of an idle summer, had chosen to pretend an interest in me! I was not afraid of her, of course; I was afraid of myself.

Not that I was in danger of falling in love with her--that idea was too ridiculous to be even funny.