“Shall you marry him?” he said hoarsely.
“I do not see that I am bound to answer that question, but it is probable, for my own sake I hope so.”
He took a step towards the door, then turned suddenly and dashed his hat down upon the carpet.
“I can’t let you go to him,” he said, with an oath; “I’ll take you upon your own terms, if you’ll give me no better ones.”
“Yes, Mr. Rock: but how am I to know that you will keep those terms?”
“I’ll swear it, but if I swear, when will you marry me?”
“Whenever you like, Mr. Rock. There’s a Bible on the table: if you are in earnest, take it and swear, for then I know you will be afraid to break your oath.”
Samuel picked up the book, and swore thus at her dictation: “I swear that for a year from the date of my marrying you, Joan Haste, I will not attempt to see you, but will leave you to go your own way without interfering with you by word or deed, upon the condition that you have nothing to do with Sir Henry Graves” (this sentence was Samuel’s own), “and that at the end of the year you come to me, to be my faithful wife.” And, kissing the book, he threw it down upon the table, adding, “And may God blast me if I break this oath! Do you believe me now, Joan?”
“On second thoughts I am not sure that I do,” she answered, with a contemptuous smile, “for I think that the man who can take that vow would also break it. But if you do break it, remember what I tell you, that you will see no more of me. After all, this is a free country, Mr. Rock, and even though I become your wife in name, you cannot force me to live with you. There is one more thing: I will not be married to you in a church, I will be married before a registrar, if at all.”
“I suppose that you must have your own way about that too, Joan; though it seems an unholy thing not to ask Heaven’s blessing on us.”