The poor child could get no further; uncontrollable sobs stifled her voice.
“No, no!” cried Anna, who was in reality no less deeply moved than her companion; “no, no, very far from it. Above all things I wish to keep you here with me; but you must promise that you will not let anyone know where I am hiding—will you promise that?”
Dalima flung herself weeping into her mistress’s arms:
“You are so lonely here, so miserably poor!” she sobbed.
“Oh, that is nothing,” cried Anna, “never mind that; I have got used to it.”
“He loves you so dearly, so tenderly,” pleaded the baboe.
“Not another word on that subject, Dalima,” said Anna, very sternly; “you cannot possibly understand how insurmountable a barrier there exists between Mr. van Nerekool and myself. There can never be a question of marriage between us, let me tell you that once and for all.”
The baboe made no immediate reply, but went on sobbing and weeping as if her heart would break.
“Will you make that promise, Dalima?” insisted Anna.
“I owe him so much,” sobbed Dalima, “I am so anxious to make him happy.”