Part 69 (2/2)

”Unless the King is loved with honour,” said Lotys in the same hushed voice; ”He must go unloved!”

He dropped her hand and looked at her. She was very pale--her breath came and went quickly, but her eyes were fixed upon him steadily,--and though her whole heart cried out for his sympathy and tenderness, she did not flinch.

”Lotys!” he said; ”Are you so cold, so frozen in an ice-wall of conventionality that you cannot warm to pa.s.sion--not even to that pa.s.sion which every pulse of you is ready to return? What do you want of me? Lover's oaths? Vows of constancy? Oh, beloved woman as you are, do you not understand that you have entered into my very heart of hearts--that you hold my whole life in your possession? You--not I--are the ruling power of this country! What you say, that I will do! What you command, that will I obey! While you live, I will live--when you die, I will die! Through you I have learned the value of sovereignty,--the good that can be done to a country by honest work in kings.h.i.+p,--through you I have won back my disaffected subjects to loyalty;--it is all you--only you! And if you blamed me once as a worthless king, you shall never have cause to so blame me again! But you must help me,--you must help me with your love!”

She strove to control the beating of her heart, as she looked upon him and listened to his pleading. She resolutely shut her soul to the persuasive music of his voice, the light of his eyes, the tenderness of his smile.

”What of the Queen?” she said.

He started back, as though he had been stung.

”The Queen!” he repeated, mechanically--”The Queen!”

”Ay, the Queen!” said Lotys. ”She is your wife--the mother of your sons!

She has never loved you, you would say,--you have never loved her. But you are her husband! Would you make me your mistress?”

Her voice was calm. She put the plain question point-blank, without a note of hesitation. His face paled suddenly.

”Lotys!” he said, and stretched out his hands towards her; ”Lotys, I love you!”

A change pa.s.sed over her,--rapid and transfiguring as a sudden radiance from heaven. With an impulsive gesture, beautiful in its wild abandonment, she cast herself at his feet.

”And I love you!” she said. ”I love you with every breath of my body, every pulse of my heart! I love you with the entire pa.s.sion of my life!

I love you with all the love pent up in my poor starved soul since childhood until now!--I love you more than woman ever loved either lover or husband! I love you, my lord and King!--but even as I love you, I honour you! No selfish thought of mine shall ever tarnish the smallest jewel in your Crown! Oh, my beloved! My Royal soul of courage! What do you take me for? Should I be worthy of your thought if I dragged you down? Should I be Lotys,--if, like some light woman who can be bought for a few jewels,--I gave myself to you in that fever of desire which men mistake for love? Ah, no!--ten thousand times no! I love you! Look at me,--can you not see how my soul cries out for you? How my lips hunger for your kisses--how I long, ah, G.o.d! for all the tenderness which I know is in your heart for me,--I, so lonely, weary, and robbed of all the dearest joys of life!--but I will not shame you by my love, my best and dearest! I will not set you one degree lower in the thoughts of the People, who now idolise you and know you as the brave, true man you are! My love for you would be poor indeed, if I could not sacrifice myself altogether for your sake,--you, who are my King!”

He heard her,--his whole soul was shaken by the pa.s.sion of her words.

”Lotys!” he said,--and again--”Lotys!”

He drew her up from her kneeling att.i.tude, and gathering her close in his arms, kissed her tenderly, reverently--as a man might kiss the lips of the dead.

”Must it be so, Lotys?” he whispered; ”Must we dwell always apart?”

Her eyes, beautiful with a pa.s.sion of the highest and holiest love, looked full into his.

”Always apart, yet always together, my beloved!” she answered; ”Together in thought, in soul, in aspiration!--in the hope and confidence that G.o.d sees us, and knows that we seek to live purely in His sight! Oh, my King, you would not have it otherwise! You would not have our love defiled! How common and easy it would be for me to give myself to you!--as other women are only too ready to give themselves,--to take your tenderness, your care, your admiration,--to demand your constant attendance on my lightest humour!--to bring you shame by my persistent companions.h.i.+p!--to cause an open slander, and allow the finger of scorn to be pointed at you!--to see your honour made a mockery of, by base, persons who would judge you as one, who, notwithstanding his brave espousal of the People's Cause, was yet a slave to the caprice of a woman! Think something more of me than this! Do not put me on the level of such women as once brought your name into contempt! They did not love you!--they loved themselves! But I--I love you! Oh, my dearest lord, if self were concerned at all in this great love of my heart, I would not suffer your arms to rest about me now!--I would not let your lips touch mine!--but it is for the last time, beloved!--the last time! And so I put my hands here on your heart--I kiss your lips--I say with all my soul in the prayer--G.o.d bless you!--G.o.d keep you!--G.o.d save you, my King! Though I shall live apart from you all my days, my spirit is one with yours! G.o.d will know that truth when we meet--on the other side of Death!”

Her tears fell fast, and he bent over her, torn by a tempest of conflicting emotions, and kissing the soft hair that lay loosely ruffled against his breast.

”Then it shall be so, Lotys!” he murmured, at last. ”Your wish is my law!--it shall be as you command! I will fulfil such duties as I must in this world,--and the knowledge of your love for me,--your trust in me,--shall keep me high in the People's honour! Old follies shall be swept away--old sins atoned for;--and when we meet, as you say, on the other side of Death, G.o.d will perchance give us all that we have longed for in this world--all that we have lost!”

His voice shook,--he could not further rely on his self-control.

”I will not tempt you, Lotys!” he whispered--”I dare not tempt myself!

G.o.d bless you!”

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