Part 62 (2/2)

”Oh, tell me first, I implore you! Can you forgive me?”

He spoke in such a piteous tone that her heart was touched.

”Forgive you?” she said, in a voice full of sympathy and pity. ”There is nothing for _me_ to forgive.”

”Now may Heaven forever bless you for that sweet and gentle word!”

said Dacres, who altogether misinterpreted her words, and the emphasis she placed on them; and in his voice there was such peace, and such a gentle, exultant happiness, that Mrs. Willoughby again felt touched.

”Poor fellow!” she thought; ”how he _must_ have suffered!”

”Where are you fastened?” she whispered, as she bent over him. Dacres felt her breath upon his cheek; the hem of her garment touched his sleeve, and a thrill pa.s.sed through him. He felt as though he would like to be forever thus, with _her_ bending over him.

”My hands are fastened behind me,” said he.

”I have a knife,” said Mrs. Willoughby. She did not stop to think of danger. It was chiefly pity that incited her to this. She could not bear to see him lying thus in pain, which he had perhaps, as she supposed, encountered for her. She was impulsive, and though she thought of his a.s.sistance toward the escape of Minnie and herself, yet pity and compa.s.sion were her chief inspiring motives.

Mrs. Willoughby had told Girasole that she had no knife; but this was not quite true, for she now produced one, and cut the cords that bound his wrists. Again a thrill flashed through him at the touch of her little fingers; she then cut the cords that bound his ankles.

Dacres sat up. His ankles and wrists were badly swollen, but he was no longer conscious of pain. There was rapture in his soul, and of that alone was he conscious.

”Be careful!” she whispered, warningly; ”guards are all around, and listeners. Be careful! If you can think of a way of escape, do so.”

Dacres rubbed his hand over his forehead.

”Am I dreaming?” said he; ”or is it all true? A while ago I was suffering from some hideous vision; yet now you say you forgive me!”

Mrs. Willoughby saw in this a sign of returning delirium. ”But the poor fellow must be humored, I suppose,” she thought.

”Oh, there is nothing for _me_ to forgive,” said she.

”But if there were any thing, would you?”

”Yes.”

”Freely?” he cried, with a strong emphasis.

”Yes, freely.”

”Oh, could you answer me one more question? Oh, could you?”

”No, no; not now--not now, I entreat you,” said Mrs. Willoughby, in nervous dread. She was afraid that his delirium would bring him upon delicate ground, and she tried to hold him back.

”But I must ask you,” said Dacres, trembling fearfully--”I must--now or never. Tell me my doom; I have suffered so much. Oh, Heavens!

Answer me. Can you? Can you feel toward me as you once did?”

”He's utterly mad,” thought Mrs. Willoughby; ”but he'll get worse if I don't soothe him. Poor fellow! I ought to answer him.”

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