Then came back the visible world,—recollection, consciousness, and the great battle of duty,—and Mary drew away a little, and said,—
"Oh, James, you are too late! that can never be!"
He drew back from her.
"Mary, are you married?"
"Before God, I am," she said, "My word is pledged. I cannot retract it. I have suffered a good man to place his whole faith upon it,—a man who loves me with his whole soul."
"But, Mary, you do not love him. That is impossible!" said James, holding her off from him, and looking at her with an agonized eagerness. "After what you have just said, it is not possible."
"Oh, James! I am sure I don't know what I have said,—it was all so sudden, and I didn't know what I was saying,—but things that I must never say again. The day is fixed for next week. It is all the same as if you had found me his wife."
"Not quite," said James, his voice cutting the air with a decided manly ring. "I have some words to say to that yet."
"Oh, James, will you be selfish? will you tempt me to do a mean, dishonorable thing? to be false to my word deliberately given?"
"But," said James, eagerly, "you know, Mary, you never would have given it, if you had known that I was living."