That was a brave heart of hers, or it must have failed to keep its own rebellion down so firmly, and gather strength to answer in a calm, collected voice—
"There are some things it is better not to think about, for they can never be, and this is one of them."
How little she knew what was passing in his mind! How little she suspected that her sentence was his reprieve! And yet his self-love was galled. He had made a narrow escape, and was thankful, no doubt, but felt somewhat disappointed, too, that his danger had not been greater still.
"Do you mean it?" said he. "Well, you'll forgive my presumption, and—and—you won't forget I asked you."
"Forget!——"
It was all she said; but a man must have been both blind and deaf not to have marked the tone in which those syllables were uttered, the look which accompanied them. Daisy brandished his hat, thinking it high time to go, lest his sentence should be commuted, and his doom revoked.
She put her hand to her throat, as if she must choke; but mastered her feelings with an effort, forcing herself to speak calmly and distinctly now, on a subject that must never be approached again.
"Do not think I undervalue your offer," she said, gathering fortitude with every word; "do not think me hard, or changeable, or unfeeling. If you must not make me happy, at least you have made me very proud; and if everything had turned out differently, I do hope I might have proved worthy to be your wife. You're not angry with me, are you? And you won't hate me because it's impossible?"
"Not the least!" exclaimed Daisy, eagerly. "Don't think it for a moment! Please not to make yourself unhappy about me."
"I am worthy to be your friend," she continued saddened, and it may be a little vexed, by this remarkable exhibition of self-denial; "and as a friend I feel I owe you some explanation, beyond a bare 'No, I won't.' It ought rather to be 'No, I can't;' because—because, to tell you the honest truth, I have promised somebody else!"