"And to that girl? Does he love her so much? Is her beauty so overpowering? What has she to tempt Leicester into this crime?"
"Her father is dead. By his will a large property falls to this poor girl. The letter came under cover to Leicester; he opened it. After the marriage they will sail for the north of Europe—there the letter will follow them, telling the poor orphan of her father's death. How can she guess that her husband has seen it before!"
"But I—I am not dead!"
"You love him, he knows that better than you do. Death is no stronger safeguard than that knowledge. In your love or in your death he is equally safe."
"God help me; but I will not be a slave to this abject love forever. If this last treachery be true, my soul will loathe him as he deserves."
"It is true."
"But my ball is to-morrow night. He accepted the invitation. You are certain that he will come?"
"He accepted the invitation eagerly enough," said Jacob, dryly; "but what then?"
"Why, to-morrow night—this cannot happen before to-morrow night—then I shall see him; after that—no, no, he dare not. You see, Jacob, it is in order to save him from deeper crime; we must not sit still and allow this poor girl to be sacrificed; that would be terrible. It must be prevented."