Alan gazed at her, irresolute. "But if you love me so much," he

said, "surely, surely, it is a small thing to trust your future to

me."

The tenderness of woman let her hand glide over his cheek. She was

not ashamed of her love. "O Alan," she cried, "if it were only for

myself, I could trust you with my life; I could trust you with

anything. But I haven't only myself to think of. I have to think

of right and wrong; I have to think of the world; I have to think

of the cause which almost wholly hangs upon me. Not for nothing

are these impulses implanted in my breast. They are the voice of

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the soul of all women within me. If I were to neglect them for the

sake of gratifying your wishes,--if I were to turn traitor to my

sex for the sake of the man I love, as so many women have turned

before me, I should hate and despise myself. I couldn't love you,

Alan, quite so much, loved I not honor more, and the battle imposed

upon me."

Alan wavered as she spoke. He felt what she said was true; even if

he refused to take her on the only terms she could accept, he would

not thereby save her. She would turn in time and bestow herself

upon some man who would perhaps be less worthy of her,--nay even on

some man who might forsake her in the sequel with unspeakable

treachery. Of conduct like that, Alan knew himself incapable. He

knew that if he took Herminia once to his heart, he would treat her

with such tenderness, such constancy, such devotion as never yet

was shown to living woman. (Love always thinks so.) But still, he

shrank from the idea of being himself the man to take advantage of

her; for so in his unregenerate mind he phrased to himself their

union. And still he temporized. "Even so, Herminia," he cried,

bending forward and gazing hard at her, "I couldn't endure to have

it said it was I who misled you."

Herminia lifted her eyes to his with just a tinge of lofty scorn,

tempered only by the womanliness of those melting lashes. "And you

can think of THAT?" she murmured, gazing across at him half in

tears. "O Alan, for my part I can think of nothing now but the

truths of life and the magnitude of the issues. Our hearts against

the world,--love and duty against convention."




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