Miles Franklin

“ Why! that is the very thing I am always preaching against. If a man was a lord or a millionaire I would not have him if I loved him not, but I would marry a poor cripple if I loved him. It wasn't because you owned Five-Bob Downs that I liked you, but because you have a big heart in which one would have room to get warm, and because you are true, and because you are kind and big and--" Here I could feel my voice getting shaky, and being afraid I would make a fool of myself by crying, I left off.
"Syb, I will try and fix matters up a bit, and will claim you in that time if I have a home." ”

“ Do not tell anyone we are engaged, and remember you are perfectly free. If you see a woman you like more than me, promise me on your sacred word that you will have none of those idiotic unjust ideas of keeping true to me. ”

“ You are young, healthy, have good character and influential connections, and plenty of good practical ability and sense, so, surely, you will know no such thing as failure if you meet the world bravely. Go and be the man you are; and if you fail, when I am XX-one I will marry you, and we will help each other. I am young and strong, and am used to hard work, so poverty will not alarm me in the least. If you want me, I want you.
"Syb, you are such a perfect little brick that I couldn't be such a beggarly cur as to let you do that. ”