"'Harry, I cannot tell thee my happiness; made all the sweeter, methinks, by the anguish my soul hath suffered since last we met. But how proud I am of thee now thou hast vanquished Perodii, and before all Edos freed my name from evil gossip; I would sooner thee have done this thing than even my father.'
"'Ah, Volinè, I thought of you when the fight waxed hottest, and that thought gave new strength to my arm when weakening by desperate effort. But all is over, and all is well. Now, dear one, tell me of to-day—when is our bridal feast to be?'
"'Echri and his fellow-Priests have already reached the Palace, and all is in readiness to commence at setting of the sun; for that is the hour we people of Edos assign unto this ceremony. But, Harry, what a strange, strange wooing mine hath been, coloured more with sorrow than with gladness; and even the early hours of my wedding-day have not been free from strife.'
"'All has been as you say. But now perfect peace shall be my darling's portion, and I will devote myself to smoothing her path across life's stormy way. My arms shall ever be her refuge in sorrow, and her resting place in joy.'
"'Always?'
"'Until life is done; for I love you with a passion that death can only destroy.'
"'Oh, Harry, it is sweet to be loved like this. Do all the men of Ramos love like thee? Methinks there are plenty of maidens in Edos who would choose them a mate from thy world, rather than mine, if such be so.'
"'Well, darling, that there is love on Earth as sweet, and pure, and true as ours I will not deny; but there is love that turns to bitterness and hatred. There are men who betray, deceive, and wrong in the sacred name of Love; there are men who make vows of affection and constancy, only to break them.'
"'Ah! it is even so in Gathma, and many the maid of Edos that hath rued her marriage-vows before she hath well become a wife.'
"'Does my Volinè doubt me—does a single misgiving haunt her heart, now that she has given that heart to me?'