as it came from her lips it seemed to charm him. It was a new pleasure,
and one which, though he had ridiculed it, he had so often coveted! And
then she told him of such wondrous thoughts, such wondrous joys in the
world which would come from thinking! He was proud, I have said, and
haughty; but he was essentially modest and humble in his self-estimation.
How divine was this creature, whose voice to him was that of a goddess!

Then he spoke out to her with a face a little turned from her. Would she
be his wife? But before she answered him, let her listen to him. They had
told him that an early death must probably be his fate. He did not himself
feel that it must be so. Sometimes he was ill, very ill; but often he was
well. If she would run the risk with him he Would endeavour to make her
such recompense as might come from his wealth. The speech he made was
somewhat long, and as he made it he hardly looked into her face.

But it was necessary to him that he should be made to know by some signal
from her how it was going with her feelings. As he spoke of his danger,
there came a gurgling little trill of wailing from her throat, a soft,
almost musical, sound of woe, which seemed to add an unaccustomed
eloquence to his words. When he spoke of his own hope the sound was
somewhat, changed, but it was still continued. When he alluded to the
disposition of his fortune, she was at his feet. "Not that," she said,
"not that!" He lifted her, and with his arm round her waist he tried to
tell her what it would be his duty to do for her. She escaped from his arm
and would not listen to him. But--but--! When he began to talk of love
again, she stood with her forehead bowed against his bosom. Of course the
engagement was then a thing accomplished.

But still the cup might slip from her lips. Her father was now dead but
ten months, and what answer could she make when the common pressing