Part 47 (1/2)

”Oh,” she cried, ”why were you not him--if he had only been you. He cared nothing for me, yet I loved him--you--you--”

”I care for nothing at all but you,” said he.

She shuddered all over and turned her head away.

”That's the mischief of it as far as I am concerned,” he went on. ”I can't escape without injuring you and so myself--yet I don't wonder at your hating me.”

She turned her face to him, it was flushed and wet.

”I do not hate you,” said she; ”you are the only man I ever met--unselfish.”

”No,” he said, ”I'm selfish. It's just because I love you that I think of you more than myself, and I love you because you are good and sweet.

I could not do you wrong just because of that. If you were another woman, I would not bother about you. I'd be cruel enough, I reckon, and go off and leave you tied up, and get back to the States--but you are you, and that's my bother. I did not know till now how I was tied to you; yesterday at that asylum place and all last night I did not think of you. My one thought was to get away. I came here to-day, driven by want of money. I was so angry with the whole business, I determined to go on being Rochester--then you came into my mind and I sent Church to ask you to come and see me--much good it has done.”

”I don't know,” she said.

He looked at her quickly. Her glance fell.

Next moment he was beside her, kneeling and holding her hand.

For a moment, they said not one word. Then he spoke as though answering questions.

”We can get married-- Oh, I don't mind going on being the Earl of Rochester. There were times when I thought I'd go cracked--but now you know the truth, I reckon I can go on pretending. People can have the marriage ceremony performed twice--of course, it would have to be private--I can't think this is true--I don't believe you can ever care for me--I don't know, maybe you will--do you care for me for myself in the least--I reckon I'm half mad, but say--when did you begin to like me for myself--was it only just because you thought I was unselfish--was it--”

”If I like you at all,” she said, with a little catch in her voice, ”perhaps it was that--night--”