Her personal presence would have banished philosophy, and even honor.
Lawrence was a long time in coming to these conclusions, and it was late in the afternoon when he despatched his note.

Having now given up his North Carolina trip--one object of which had been still another visit to Midbranch on his return--he was obliged to wait until the next day for a train to the North; and, consequently, he had another evening to devote to reflections.

These, after a time, became unsatisfactory.

He had told the exact truth in his note to Roberta, for he felt that it was necessary for him to leave that part of the country in order to make impossible an interview for which he believed the proper time had not arrived.

He was consulting his best interests, and also, no doubt, those of the lady.