My heart gave a great throb of joy; her every word gave me hope in spite of myself.
"Mr. Blake," she continued, "I never must marry him."
"God grant you may not," I said.
"I must not," she said, "and you must keep me from danger."
"I, Miss Forrest! I would give the world if I could: but how can I? You do not know the terrible slavery that binds me, neither can I tell you."
"I shall trust in you to deliver me from this man," she went on without heeding me. "You must prove yourself to be innocent."
"To do that I must bring this man Kaffar. I know nothing of him. I could never find him. Oh, I tell you, Miss Forrest, a thousand evil powers seem to rend me when I attempt to do what I long for."
"I shall trust in you," she cried. "Surely you are sufficiently interested in me to save me from a man like Voltaire?"
"Interested?" I cried. "I would die for you, I love you so. And yet I can do nothing."
"You can do something; you can do everything. You can save me from him."