'The danger is over now?' she said.
'Yes, that danger is over now.'
'You have weathered it?'
'I love him.'
Emma dropped a heavy sigh in pity of her, remotely in compassion for Redworth, the loving and unbeloved. She was too humane and wise of our nature to chide her Tony for having her sex's heart. She had charity to bestow on women; in defence of them against men and the world, it was a charity armed with the weapons of battle. The wife madly stripped before the world by a jealous husband, and left chained to the rock, her youth wasting, her blood arrested, her sensibilities chilled and assailing her under their multitudinous disguises, and for whom the world is merciless, called forth Emma's tenderest commiseration; and that wife being Tony, and stricken with the curse of love, in other circumstances the blessing, Emma bled for her.
'But nothing desperate?' she said.
'No; you have saved me.'
'I would knock at death's doors again, and pass them, to be sure of that.'
'Kiss me; you may be sure. I would not put my lips to your cheek if there were danger of my faltering.'
'But you love him.'