Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/314

276 "butdarlingI am called. And even my life itself" His voice failed him, and he said no more.

For a minute she stood quite silent, looking upwards with a helpless gaze, as if even prayer were now useless, while her features worked and quivered with the great agony she was enduring. Then a sudden inspiration seemed to come upon her and light up her face with a strange sweet smile. "Your life?" she repeated. "It is not yours to give!"

Arthur had recovered himself by this time, and could reply quite firmly, "That is true," he said. "It is not mine to give. It's yours, now, mywife that is to be! And youdo you forbid me to go? Will you not spare me, my own beloved one?"

Still clinging to him, she laid her head softly on his breast. She had never done such a thing in my presence before, and I knew how deeply she must be moved. "I will spare you," she said, calmly and quietly, "to God."

"And to God's poor," he whispered.

"And to God's poor," she added. "When must it be, sweet love?"