Bending his head, Matthias found her lips.
"My dear, dear girl!" he murmured.
"Oh," she breathed, "I have loved you always—always!"
"If I had only known, if I had only guessed—!"
"How could you? I didn't know ... not till a little while ago.... And even then, I couldn't have told you ... only the thought of losing you ... my dear, my dear!"
"I never guessed...."
"You're not sorry? You're not angry with me—?"
"Angry? I adore you!"
"You will love me always?"
"Always and forever."