"You do not know what you are saying. You will know some day. If you can bear this, I cannot."
"Then stay—if you love me, as you say you do."
"As I say I do!"
Her eyes grew very grave and sad as she stopped and looked at him again. Then she held out both her hands.
"I am going, now. Good-bye."
The blood came back to Orsino's face. It seemed to him that he had reached the crisis of his life and his instinct was to struggle hard against his fate. With a quick movement he caught her in his arms, lifting her from her feet and pressing her close to him.
"You shall not go!"
He kissed her passionately again and again, while she fought to be free, straining at his arms with her small white hands and trying to turn her face from him.
"Why do you struggle? It is of no use." He spoke in very soft deep tones, close to her ear.
She shook her head desperately and still did her best to slip from him, though she might as well have tried to break iron clamps with her fingers.