He slipped down to his knees beside her. "Olga!" he said again very pleadingly.
She stirred then, stirred and looked him full in the eyes. And all his life Noel remembered the awful despair that looked out at him from her soul "I—can't!" she said.
He clasped her two hands between his own. "Can't you even think of it?" he urged, under his breath. "You know—you said—you'd have married me if—if—poor old Max hadn't come first. I wouldn't cut him out for worlds; but that's happened already, hasn't it? Surely there's no one else?"
But Olga made no answer. Only the despair in her eyes deepened to a dumb agony.
"Darling," he whispered, gathering her hands up and holding them against his face, "I'd be awfully good to you. And I want you—I do want you. Won't you even consider it?"
A great shiver went through Olga.
"Won't you have my love?" he said.
But still for a little she was silent. It seemed that no words would come.
Then, as he pressed his lips to the hands he had taken, something seemed suddenly to break loose within her. With a great sob she leaned her head upon his shoulder. "Noel! Noel! I—can't!"
His arms clasped her in a moment; he held her close. "Dearest, what is it? Why can't you?"