Part 20 (1/2)
Grace was predicting that my ti of the kind, but I rather hoped it would And I had hardly said so when--oh, darling! _you_ caly sweet ever since Life has been entirely different, and I a”
Thus she ran on--alht and joyous was her tone But it was so with a purpose; for all her pulses were thrilling; her very th of her feeling She felt giddy The great stars in the dark vault overhead see, she leaned heavily upon the arms which encircled her, then tried to speak, to whisper, but could not
”Dear, I ought not to have told you--ever at all,” he went on ”But I a away to-morrow--”
Then she found her voice
”Why _are_ you going away to-morrow? Give it up, my heart's love, and stay nearaway--to be away fro she was about to interrupt ”This was my idea I wanted to be at such a distance that it would be i one hour's short ride I wanted to try if I could break the influence which you were so surely weaving round ood of us both; but especially for your good Listen, Mona
I a, andlasts We are both of a strong nature Two strong natures cannot fuse, cannot intertwine Then coan, any living wo as that,” said Mona decisively But not heeding her, he went on--
”To every one of us the cup of life is filled but once The contents of s than the bri to sip at yours”
”Which dark syllogisrasp, and fully appreciate--at its proper value,” she returned ”But coh solemn wisdom beneath the stars? Why, just before we first saw you--here, on this very spot--Gracie was trying to ey Those were her words; and if you go on a little longer in this strain, I shall begin to think she was right I remember, too, how I answered her I said I was about tired of boys
So let's hear no s,' but repeat what you said just now--just before--ed to one of tenderest adjuration And it may be that he did repeat it
”Now,” he went on, ”would you rather I had told you this before going away, or afteraway, now?”
”I a to say I want a few days to think”
”Roden!” she exclai in her voice; ”this is not an artifice? You are co back toa moment upon which consideration, perhaps that is why I told you before I left, what I have just told you Would you rather I had not?”
”Would I rather forego one iven me? Love of ive up this plan now But be careful of your life
You are mine, remember I won you when I held back your life that awful day upon the brow of the cliff; and that consciousness, and that alone, enabled iven h that alone Now, say, are you not hout all the years?”
”Dear, 'for ever' is a long ti as you think , and in such a voice?” This with a shi+ver, as though she had received a sudden stab
”Mona, as it I was trying to iotlasts I have seen eyesnow--have heard voices tremble in the same sweet intensity of tone Well, it did not last Time, separation, new interests, and it ept away; nor did the process take very long, either Nothing lasts! Nothing lasts!
It e at which one believes in nothing and nobody”
”Did they--those of whom you speak--love you as I do? Was their secret wrenched from them at the very jaws of death?”
”No Never did I hear words of love under such, strange circumstances