"You love me, then? Tell me but that!"
"Love you!"
She crushed his hand beneath hers and arose, staggering as though beneath the weight of a physical burden. He sprung to his feet and took her by the shoulders, his beautiful face quivering with emotion.
"You are tempting me to the first dishonorable act of my life," he cried, almost fiercely. "I love you as no man ever loved a woman before. My whole soul seems swallowed up in my passion! I am the betrothed husband of another woman, but you have but to speak the word to make me false to my promise! I will give up everything for you, even to life itself were that necessary. I care not what shadow darkens your existence. Say but the word, promise that you will be my wife, and I will throw aside every consideration for your sake! Leonie, speak to me!"
His passion seemed to quiet her. Not since her entrance to the library, where she had discovered something of that fearful secret, had she been so calm. She did not attempt to withdraw herself from him, but gazed into his face with a devotion he never forgot.
"I thank you for your words," she said brokenly. "Perhaps they have saved me from suicide or a madhouse. I think I have suffered this day as no woman ever did before, yet I would go through it all again before I would have you false to your vow. There are reasons why, even if no pledge existed, you could never make me your wife. I tell you this because it may be a comfort to you in the after years. It is good-bye now forever, for from this hour to see each other would be dishonor."
"And you can speak of it so calmly?"
"I can, because my heart is broken."
"And you think that I will give you up, knowing that you love me? Never! I will go to Miss Chandler and tell her the truth. I will say to her——"
"Wait!"