'My Glory! my own dearest! my only one!' he moaned. 'I could not help it. You would have left me had I not done this. There was no other way out of the tangle, there was no other path into the light. Glory! we were created for each other, but a perverse fortune has separated your heart from mine here. We shall meet and unite in another world. We must do so, we were born for each other. Glory! Glory!'
She stirred and opened her eyes, and drew a long breath.
'Are you waking, Glory?' he asked. 'Hark, hark! the marriage bells are ringing, ringing, ringing, for you and me. Now Glory! now only is our marriage! now only, locked together, shall we find rest.'
He took the iron chain, and wound it round her and him, tying them together tight, and then he fastened the padlock and flung the key into the sea.
'Once I turned the key in the lock carelessly, and he who was bound by this chain escaped. I have fastened it firmly now, it will not fall apart for all eternity. Now Glory! Now we are bound together for everlasting.'
She sighed.
'Do you hear me?' he asked. 'It is well. Glory! one kiss?'
He put down his hand into the bottom of the boat, and drew out the plug, and tossed it overboard. At once the cold sea-water rushed in and overflowed his feet.
'Glory!' he cried, and he folded her to his heart, and fastened his lips fiercely, ravenously to hers.
He felt her heart throb, faintly indeed, but really.