"What is it that you say, dear Bee?"
She tried to speak more clearly, for it seemed with her a point of principle to put this question; but her voice was, if possible, lower and more agitated than before, so that he had to stoop closely and listen intently to catch her words as she answered:
"Do you not offer me your love, only because—because you have found out—found out somehow or other that I—that I loved you first?"
He clasped her suddenly close to his heart, and whispered eagerly:
"I offer you my love because I love you, best and dearest of all dear ones!" And he felt at that moment that he did love her entirely.
She was sobbing softly on his shoulder; but presently through her tears she said:
"And will my love do you any good, make you any happier, compensate you a little for all that you have missed in losing that brilliant one?"
He held her closely to his heart while he stooped and answered:
"Dearest, your love has always been the greatest earthly blessing Heaven ever bestowed upon my life! I thank Heaven that the blindness and madness of my heart is past and gone, and I am enabled to see and understand this! Your love, Bee, is the only earthly thing that can comfort all the sorrows that may come into my life, or crown all its joys. You will believe this, dearest Bee, when you remember that I never in my life varied from the truth to anyone, and least of all would I prevaricate with you. I love you. Bee, let those three words answer all your doubts!"
Brightly and beautifully she smiled up at him through her tears.