Page:Idalia, by 'Ouida' volume 2.djvu/145

134 now. She turned to him, and spoke softly, yet with a certain grave and haughty grace. "I do not pretend to misunderstand you; to do so would be but to imitate the mock humility of foolish women. You would do this thing for my sake; if done at all, it must be done for the pure sake of justice and compassion, not for mine. You gave me your promise that no other words like these should pass between us, and I told you if it were broken we could meet no longer."

He looked at her bewildered; she seemed to him to toy with him most recklessly, it was a deadly trial to his faith not to believe most mercilessly also.

"That promise I must break, then. It is the only one broken in my life. My God! why do you play with me so? You know what my love is!"

His voice sank to a breathless fervour; he stooped forward, his lips trembling, his eyes seeking hers with an anguish of entreaty. That look almost broke down her resolve; it was so easy to soothe this man's loyal heart with a smile, with a glance; it was so hard to put an end for ever to that imploring prayer. Hard to her at least, now, when for the first time some portion of the heavy blow she had so often dealt fell on her, some scorch of the fiery pain