You were engaged to Tom when I went away , Jenny told me you were . And a year later Bertha wrote me a letter in which she made some reference to Tom 's marriage . She did n't say to whom , but had n't I the right to suppose it was to you ? '' `` Oh ! '' The word was partly a sigh and partly a little cry of long-concealed , long-denied pain . `` It 's been all a funny misunderstanding . Tom and I were engaged once -- a boy-and-girl affair in the beginning . Then we both found out that we had made a mistake -- that what we had thought was love was merely the affection of good comrades . We broke our engagement shortly before you went away . All the older girls knew it was broken but I suppose nobody mentioned the matter to Jen . She was such a child , we never thought about her . And you 've thought I was Tom 's wife all this time ? It 's -- funny . '' `` Funny . You mean tragic ! Look here , Esme , I 'm not going to risk any more misunderstanding . There 's nothing for it but plain talk when matters get to such a state as this . I love you -- and I 've loved you ever since I met you . I went away because I could not stay here and see you married to another man . I 've stayed away for the same reason .
XXXXX , is it too late ?
Bertha Esme Funny Jen Jenny Tom comrades love right sigh