But all this is nothing. You are now again a free woman; and once again I ask you to be my wife. We are both older than we were when we loved before, and will both be prone to think of marriage in a somewhat different light. Then personal love for each other was most in our thoughts. God forbid that it should not be much in our thoughts now! Perhaps I am deceiving myself in saying that it is not even now stronger in mine than any other consideration. But we have both reached that time of life, when it is probable that in any proposition of marriage we should think more of our adaptability to each other than we did before. For myself I know that there is much in my character and disposition to make me unfit to marry a woman of the common stamp. You know my mode of life, and what are my hopes and my chances of success. I run great risk of failing. It may be that I shall encounter ruin where I look for reputation and a career of honour. The chances are perhaps more in favour of ruin than of success. But, whatever may be the chances, I shall go on as long as any means of carrying on the fight are at my disposal. If you were my wife to-morrow I should expect to use your money, if it were needed, in struggling to obtain a seat in Parliament and a hearing there. I will hardly stoop to tell you that I do not ask you to be my wife for the sake of this aid;--but if you were to become my wife I should expect all your cooperation;--with your money, possibly, but certainly with your warmest spirit.

But you are now again a free woman; and once again I ask you to be my wife. We are both older than we were when we loved before, and will both think of marriage in a somewhat different light. Then personal love for each other was most in our thoughts. God forbid that love should not be in our thoughts now - and my love for you is stronger than any other consideration. But we have both reached that time of life when we should think more of our adaptability to each other than we did before.
I know that there is much in my character to make me unfit to marry an ordinary woman. You know my mode of life, and my hopes and my chances of success. I run great risk of failing. It may be that I shall encounter ruin where I look for a career of honour. The chances are perhaps more in favour of ruin than of success. But, whatever my chances, I shall go on as long as I can. If you were my wife tomorrow I should expect to use your money, if it were needed, in struggling to obtain a seat in Parliament. I do not ask you to be my wife for the sake of this aid; but if you were to become my wife I should expect all your cooperation - with your money, possibly, but certainly with your warmest spirit.
