He shook his head and still smiled. There was something in the imperturbed security of his manner which almost made her angry with him. It seemed as though he assumed so great a superiority that he felt himself able to treat any resolve of hers as the petulance of a child. And though he spoke in strong language of his love, and of his longing that she should come to him, yet he was so well able to command his feelings, that he showed no sign of grief at the communication she had made to him. She did not doubt his love, but she believed him to be so much the master of his love,--as he was the master of everything else, that her separation from him would cause him no uncontrollable grief. In that she utterly failed to understand his character. Had she known him better, she might have been sure that such a separation now would with him have carried its mark to the grave. Should he submit to her decision, he would go home and settle himself to his books the next day; but on no following day would he be again capable of walking forth among his flowers with an easy heart. He was a strong, constant man, perhaps over-conscious of his own strength; but then his strength was great. "He is perfect!" 
He shook his head and still smiled. There was something in the unperturbed security of his manner which almost made her angry with him. It seemed as though he assumed so great a superiority that he felt himself able to treat any resolve of hers as the petulance of a child. And though he spoke of his love, yet he was so well able to command his feelings that he showed no sign of grief. She did not doubt his love, but she believed him to be so much the master of his love - as he was the master of everything else - that their separation would cause him no uncontrollable grief.
In that she utterly failed to understand his character. Had she known him better, she might have been sure that such a separation would carry its mark on him to the grave. He would go home and settle himself to his books; but he would never again be capable of walking forth among his flowers with an easy heart. He was a strong, constant man, perhaps over-conscious of his own great strength.
"He is perfect!" 