Every nerve in Warkworth's frame was tingling. He was carried out of himself, first by the rebellion of her look and manner, then by this fact, so new, so astounding, which her very evasion had confirmed. During her whole contest with Lady Henry, and now, in her present ambiguous position, she had Delafield, and through Delafield the English great world, in the hollow of her hand? This nameless woman--no longer in her first youth. And she had refused? He watched her in a speechless wonder and incredulity.
The thought leaped. "And this sublime folly--this madness--was for me?"
It stirred and intoxicated him. Yet she was not thereby raised in his eyes. Nay, the contrary. With the passion which was rapidly mounting in his veins there mingled--poor Julie!--a curious diminution of respect.
"Julie!" He held out his hand to her peremptorily. "Come to me again. You are so wonderful to-night, in that white dress--like a wild muse. I shall always see you so. Come!"
She obeyed, and gave him her hands, standing beside his chair. But her face was still absorbed.
"To be free," she said, under her breath--"free, like my parents, from all these petty struggles and conventions!"
Then she felt his kisses on her hands, and her expression changed.
"How we cheat ourselves with words!" she whispered, trembling, and, withdrawing one hand, she smoothed back the light-brown curls from his brow with that protecting tenderness which had always entered into her love for him. "To-night we are here--together--this one last night! And to-morrow, at this time, you'll be in Paris; perhaps you'll be looking out at the lights--and the crowds on the Boulevard--and the chestnut-trees. They'll just be in their first leaf--I know so well!--and the little thin leaves will be shining so green under the lamps--and I shall be here--and it will be all over and done with--forever. What will it matter whether I am free or not free? I shall be alone! That's all a woman knows."
Her voice died away. Warkworth rose. He put his arms round her, and she did not resist.
"Julie," he said in her ear, "why should you be alone?"