He took a step forward, but she waved him back, and for a few moments sobbed passionately, struggling hard the while to master her emotion.
“Have I offended you?” he panted. “Dear Millicent, listen to me. What have I done?”
“Hush!” she cried. “It is all a terrible mistake. What have I done?”
There was a pause, and the deep silence seemed to be filled now with strange noises. There was a painful throbbing of the heart, a singing in the ears, and life was all changed as Millicent at last mastered her emotion, and her voice seemed to come to the listener softened and full of pity as if spoken by one upon some far-off shore, so calm, so grave and slow, so impassionately the words fell upon his ear.
Such simple words, and yet to him like the death-knell of all his hope in life.
Volume One—Chapter Eight.
Crossed in Love.
“Oh, Mr Bayle, I am so sorry!”