'Thank you, Mr. Herring.'
'You must not call me Mr. Herring.'
'No, I know I must not. I will do my duty. I will call you by your Christian name. But you must not be angry with me it will not come at once. I will do my best, if you will have patience.'
'Mirelle!—nothing could make me angry with you.'
'Nothing?' Then she sighed and looked into the fire.
'Is there something troubling your mind?' he asked, unable to understand her manner.
'Yes,' she said, and looked up timidly at him, then withdrew her glance before his eyes; 'I will do my duty. You are my husband, and I must let you see all my heart. It is proper that you should. I will do what I know in my conscience to be right.'
'I will gladly look into that dear heart, and all I ask and hope is that I may find there a little sparkle of love for me.'
She shivered, and was silent again, still looking into the flames, broodingly.
'Dear, dear Mirelle,' he said, 'although you are now my wife, bound to me for ever, you have not yet given me, or received from me, a kiss. You have not once told me that you love me.'