‘Yes, as fond as it is in his nature to be. He has been faithful to me, and I will be faithful to him. I will do nothing that could pain or humiliate him. Some day you too will feel glad that you have not injured your benefactor.’
‘Then what do you want me to do?’ said Richard, still half sullenly, though she saw by his face that her words had struck home.
‘I want you to go away now—go quite away as you intended—as fast as you can—before—before anything happens to make us change our minds.’
In the words, in her pleading eyes there was that same piteous confession of weakness which had before touched Richard, and which now roused afresh his most generous instincts.
‘I will do what you wish,’ he said. ‘You are a good woman, Rosalie; I—will go.’
‘To-night?’
‘Yes; now!’
She glanced at him quickly, opened her mouth as if to speak, and then turned away without carrying out her intention.
Thus they parted, without another word or a clasp of the hands. Richard climbed up the bank and disappeared from view, and Rosalie remained standing where he had left her.