The Voyage of the Aurora

"[...]tenderly, as a man loves only once in his lifetime. We have not known each other very long, it is true," he continued after a slight pause, during which he had vainly looked into her downcast face for some sign of encouragement, "but the time has been long enough for me to learn that all my hopes of future happiness depend on you; and I think it has also been long enough to enable you to judge whether you can entrust your happiness to me or not. I know I am by no means what I ought to be,"-here he made another pause, hoping for some word or sign of disclaimer, which, however, never came-"but I hope you will not judge me too harshly. I am an orphan, remember. Robbed at an early age of a mother's[...]."