"And you know that I am right? You see that I must leave you, to save you from me?"
"Leave me--now?" he cried. "You only said that--you meant me to understand--you did not mean that you would leave me now?"
"I do mean it," she said, in a great effort. "It is all I can do, to show you how I love you. As long as I am in your life you will be in danger--you will never be safe from yourself--I see it all now! I stand between you and all the world would give you--I will not stand between you and honour!"
She was breaking down, fight as she would against the pain. He could say nothing, for he could not believe that she really was in earnest.
"I must!" she exclaimed suddenly. "It is all I can do for you--it is my life--take it!"
The tears broke from her eyes, but she held her head high, and let them fall unheeded.
"Take it!" she repeated. "It is all I have to give for yours and your honour. Good-by--oh, love, I love you so dearly! Once more, before I go--"
She almost, fell into his arms as she buried her face on his shoulder and clasped his throat as she was wont. He kissed her hair gently, and from time to time her whole frame shook with the sobs she was choking down.
"It kills me," she said in a broken voice. "I cannot--I thought I was so strong! Oh, I am the most miserable living woman in the world!"
She broke away from him wildly and threw herself upon a chair, turning from him to its cushion and hiding her face in her hands, choking, pressing the furious tears back upon her eyes, shaking from head to foot.