"There is the war."
"Let Waldeck take the command this campaign—I will stay with you. We have had so little time together all these years."
Mary gazed tenderly into his ardent face.
"The spring seemeth so far off. Hold my hand. I feel as if the world might pass from beneath us if we could sit thus and I not notice. You will be with me this Christmas-tide?"
"I shall not leave you," he said hoarsely. "I will nurse you till you are well again. But you are not ill?" he added piteously.
"No—tired a little." She sat up and put her hands on his shoulders. "You do not regret the day they married you to your poor little cousin?" The soft brown eyes were full of yearning. "She was such a foolish child, so ignorant——"
He could not speak, but made a movement of his hands to hers as if to stop her.
"Let me speak," said Mary sweetly. "I have thought so much about it lately. We learnt everything so late—our mistakes last of all, I think, and I have made many mistakes. Perhaps another woman would have helped you more. But I have done my best—I wanted to say that—I have always done my best."
He managed to answer, but almost incoherently.
"You shame me—utterly shame me—you—know what you have been to me——"