“And when we are rescued, if ever we should be; when I see you among your friends again—if ever I should see you so—then, Britomarte—then I shall sue for some nearer and dearer tie than that which unites the most loving brother and sister!”
“Mr. Rosenthal! Justin! why will you advert to this forbidden subject? I esteem and honor you beyond all men, because you are an exceptional man! but I tell you I esteem and honor you only as a good and noble brother! In no other light can I ever regard you. You know what my principles are, and what my frequent declarations have been: that I never will become the wife of any man while the present unjust laws of marriage prevail,” said Miss Conyers, earnestly.
And while she spoke these cold words, the sound of other words—uttered in her wild agony, at that bitter moment of parting were echoing through his memory—“Justin! Justin! With you! My beloved! My beloved!”
And he saw again the outstretched arms and the wild, appealing gaze with which she hid uttered them. Had she forgotten them? or did she wish to ignore them? He could not tell. But he felt, of course, that honor and delicacy forbade him to allude to them, or even to the joy with which he received them—all these circumstances being “proof as strong as Holy Writ” that she loved him as no sister ever loved a brother.
Now he answered her cold words as calmly as she had spoken them:
“While we remain on this island I will never even ask you for a promise or a hope of the sort; and this is the last time I will ever allude to the subject. But now you should have some repose. I can understand why you should deem it prudent to watch the night out rather than sleep, in this strange land, which might, for aught you knew, be infested with wild beasts; but now that I am here to defend you, there is no reason why you should not sleep in peace.”
“I was not afraid to go to sleep,” replied Miss Conyers, a little proudly; “but my companion here refused to go into the shelter that I proposed, and I did not think it right to leave her alone.”
“It was like you to think of others first; but now you can both seek shelter and sleep while I watch. There is a fine grotto that I passed in my rambles over the island, which I think would afford you a safe place of refuge for to-night. To-morrow better shelter shall be provided.”
“I thank you earnestly,” said Miss Conyers. “That grotto was the place of shelter I first wished to go to. Come, Judith.”
“Sure, and I’ll not budge a fut unless the gentleman promises to stand at the hole all night to keep off the wild bastes!” said the woman, defiantly.