He only answered,—
‘I told you plainly you were wrong!’
‘I acknowledge it now, but then, I thought only of what I had heard. But I see how foolish I was. A long night of reflection has shown it to me. The illnesses and troubles of our friends are enough to make us think, Henri. We might be struck down to-morrow, and how doubly sad it would be to go whilst any misunderstanding existed between us and those whom we love.’
She spoke so plaintively that his feelings were touched on her behalf.
‘There is something more the matter with you, I am afraid, Liz, than mere regret for such a trifle. Something worse than that must have happened to annoy you.’
‘No, no!’ she cried, in a voice of terror; ‘nothing has happened, I assure you, Henri; but life is uncertain, and I may be sorry some day to think I ever misjudged you. Things are not always what they seem, you know, and unexpected barriers rise sometimes to foil the brightest hopes. Let us resolve to be patient with each other, so that we may have nothing to reproach ourselves with if—if—anything should occur to part us.’
The tears were standing in her patient eyes as she raised them to his, and the sight affected him. The man was not wholly bad—none of us are—but his senses drowned his better feelings. He knew—even at that moment, when his whole mind was fixed on Maraquita, and full of fears for her safety—that this woman was the more estimable of the two, that she loved him the best, and was the most worthy of love in return. But his heart had gone astraying, and he could not recall it at will. He could only pat Liz’s hand, and profess to laugh at her fears, all the while he knew how well founded they were.
‘Why, what should occur to part us?’ he answered lightly; ‘unless, indeed, you elect to throw me over. But I thought we had settled that point satisfactorily last night, Liz?’
‘Oh, I was not thinking of that!’ she exclaimed hurriedly. ‘It was quite another idea, and one of which there is no need to speak of to you now, for which, indeed, the necessity may never arise. But we shall always be friends, Henri—shall we not? true and steadfast friends, whatever may occur?’
‘I don’t understand you. You are speaking in enigmas to me,’ he said petulantly, as he dropped the hand he had taken in his own.