Page:Idalia, by 'Ouida' volume 3.djvu/65

54 reverence which blent strangely and intricately in the feeling she bore towards this man who was at once her slave and her defender.

"No," she said, slowly; "it would matter nothing to you if you sought me as your mistress; but—as your wife? You told me once the stainlessness of your name was the only inheritance that you still held from your ancestors."

He gave a short, sharp sigh as though a knife had been plunged into the nerves that his wound had laid bare; her words bore but one significance to him. Ere she had time to resist, his arms were round her; he crushed her against his breast, he looked down into her eyes with a terrible longing prayer.

"Answer me; answer me yes or no, or you will kill me; and forgive me if the question is an outrage—you madden me till I must ask it. Is there any shame in your past that forbids you to hold and keep my honour?"

The last words sunk so low that they scarcely stirred the silence as they stole to her; for the moment she was silent; she longed for his sake to sever him from all communion with her, she desired for his sake to bid him leave for ever one who must wlthhold from him all he had the just right to seek