"No," said he, "it is--not--yet--too--late--to--save him--if that is really what you wish."
"That is what I have come for," said Hilda; "I am going to take my place at his bedside, to undo the past, and bring him back to life. That is my purpose. Do you hear?" she said, while her white lips quivered with excitement, and her shattered frame trembled with the intensity of her emotion.
"I hear, my lady," said Gualtier, with his old respect, but with a dull light in his gray eyes, and a cold and stern intonation which told of the anger which was rising within him.
Once he had shaken off her authority, and had spoken to her with the tone of a master. It was not probable that he would recede now from the stand which he had then taken. But, on the other hand, Hilda did not now seem like one over whom his old menaces would have any effect. There was in her, besides her suffering, an air of reckless self-sacrifice, which made it seem as if no threats of his could again affect her.
"You hear?" said she, with feverish impatience. "Have you nothing more to say?"
"No, nothing. It is for you to speak," said Gualtier, gruffly. "You began."
"He must be saved," said Hilda; "and I must save him; and you must help me."
Gualtier turned away his head, while a dark frown came over his face. The gesture excited Hilda still more.
"What!" she hissed, springing to her feet, and grasping his arm, "do you hesitate? Do you refuse to assist me?"
"Our relations are changed," said Gualtier, slowly, turning round as he spoke. "This thing I will not do. I have begun my work."