"Do--do you think so? Do you think it would have been any use?"
Nell rose, and brought some milk and water for him.
"I--I don't know," she said. "I--I think, if he felt that he wanted them
so badly, he would have tried again; and that--that--he might----"
He raised himself on his elbow and looked at her fixedly, his breath
coming fast, his eyes searching hers.
"Ah!" he said. "You think that if he came to the countess and whined
for the things, she would have given them to him out of sheer pity! Is
that it?"
Nell shook her head.
"One can't imagine his being such a cur, such a fool, as to do it!" he
said, sinking back. "And yet that is what I am! See how weak and
cowardly I am, Nell! I promised that I would never again trouble you
with my love; that I would be content to be your friend--your friend
only; and yet a few days' sickness, and I am crawling at your feet and
begging you to take compassion on me! And you'd do it!--yes, I know what
you meant when you said that the man would try for the diamonds
again!--out of womanly pity you would! Oh, shame on me for a cur to take
advantage of my weakness!"
"Hush, hush!" she said brokenly. "I meant what I said; I--I----" She
tried to smile. "I am a woman, and--and may change my mind!"
"But not your heart!" he said. He raised himself on his elbow again.
"For God's sake, don't tempt me! I--I am not strong enough to resist. I
want my diamonds so badly, you see, that I would stoop to stealing them.
Nell, don't tempt me!"
He sank back, and put his hand over his eyes as if to shut out the
beautiful face of the girl he loved.
Nell sank into a chair, and sat silent for a moment; then she said, in a
low voice: "I want to tell you the truth."
He took his hand away from his eyes, and fixed them on her downcast
face.
"Go on," he said. "Tell me everything; why--why you have aroused a
hope--the dearest hope of my life----But no; it never was a hope, only a
hopeless longing. Ah! if you knew what such love meant, you would
forgive me for my weakness, for my cowardice. To long day and night! If
you knew!"
"Perhaps I do!" she whispered, in so low a voice that it was wonderful
he should have heard her. But he did hear, and he turned to her quickly.