Page:Idalia, by 'Ouida' volume 3.djvu/82

Rh honour. I have no fear of what it guards from me. Love were of little worth that could not yield so slight a thing as trust"

"A slight thing? It is a greater gift than the gift of crowns or kingdoms—and still more rare." She had heard him, moved deeply by the brave simplicity of the generous words; her face was very pale, her head bowed; in her own sight she was unworthy of this sublime unquestioning belief, and the knowledge entered like iron into her soul.

"Is it?" he answeréd her. "Then all love is a lie. However that be, take it as my gift to you, then; I have nothing else in the world to bring."

She looked at him with that long, grave, weary look of which he could not wholly read the meaning.

"You could bring me none I could prize more, or—could deserve less." "That cannot be. If you did not merit it, you would see no treasure in it. It is not those who value trust that betray it."

"Betray it! No; I never betrayed yet."

Her face wore for a moment the fearless look of royal courage and strength that had ever been most natural to it; then, swiftly, it changed, and a darkness fell over it—the darkness of remorse.