She held her breath and looked at him as though fascinated.
"Lynn! Promise!"
She spoke, slowly and with difficulty.
"Until he dies, Gerald—my life is his."
"Then"——
Amherst's face flushed, a dark, purplish flush, ugly to see.
"You prefer him then to reputation, honour, common sense and decency." His breath came heavily. "You prefer him—to me!"
As slowly and deliberately as before she answered him.
"I love you—as a woman loves the man she means to marry. I love L—Ricossia—as I love no other being on God's earth—as I do not believe any other man was ever loved from the beginning of time. You say rightly. I prefer him—and the oath at which you sneer—to reputation—honour—common sense—decency—and you! Good-bye, Gerald; try to forget me."
CHAPTER XXIV