“I could not lie again. It was too much. He would have broken a promise if I had stayed. I love him—so I left him.”
“Is all this true?”
“Every word.”
“Swear it to me.”
“How can I? By what shall I swear to you? Heaven itself would laugh at any oath of mine. With my life I will answer for every word. With my soul—no—it is not mine to answer with. Will you have my life? My last breath shall tell you that I tell the truth. The dying do not lie.”
“You tell me that you love that man. You tell me that you made him think in dreams that he loved you. You tell me that you might be man and wife. And you ask me to believe that you turned back from such happiness as would make an angel sin? If you had done this—but it is not possible—no woman could! His words in your ear, and yet turn back? His lips on yours, and leave him? Who could do that?”
“One who loves him.”
“What made you do it?”
“Love.”
“No—fear—nothing else——”