Without betrayal of his eagerness to know that his scheme had not miscarried, he began to read it. “I was sure Signor Forza’s sense of justice would prevail,” he said, looking up from the paper, not the faintest note of triumph in his tone. “Believe me, Hera, it is better so—better for you as well as me. You will be glad that he did not counsel you to do me a wrong. I honor him greatly.”
It needed no words from her to tell him that his appreciation of such heroism was not shared by the woman whom it sacrificed—a fact he had counted upon to make his victory certain.
“Oh, it is impossible,” Hera exclaimed, as one yielding to an unconquerable aversion. “Heaven help me! I cannot!”
Tarsis perceived that his victory was yet to be won. He drew nearer to her, and stood by the table on which she leaned, head in hands.
“What do you mean?” he demanded.
“I cannot, oh, I cannot,” was all she could answer.
“Do you mean that you would break your last promise as well as the first?” he asked, aggressively.
“My last promise?” she repeated, as if bewildered in mind.
“Yes. You gave me your word that you would accept Signor Forza’s decision. He has pointed to you the right way. All the world will say as much. Honor leaves you but one course. Unless you persist wickedly, recklessly, in following your own desire, putting from you every consideration of right or wrong, spurning justice, moral obligation, and the wishes of all save yourself—unless you do all this, you will keep your promise.”
The facts were driving Hera overhard. Her eyelids burned, but she kept back the tears that wanted to flow. When she turned to Tarsis she felt more like a supplicant for mercy than one asserting a right which a few hours earlier had seemed not to be gainsaid—the right to be happy in her love. With the solemnity of a woman laying bare the most intimate secrets of her soul, she told him that all her being revolted against surrendering herself without affection merely because of the concurrence that marriage implied; it seemed a bestowal of authority to destroy her spiritual existence.