Page:Teleny, or The Reverse of the Medal, t. II.djvu/39

 you not let me die? This world is hateful to me, why should I drag on a life I loathe?'

Why? For my sake.' Thereupon he whispered softly, in that unknown tongue of his, some magic words which seemed to sink into my soul. Then he added, 'Nature has formed us for each other; why withstand her? I can only find happiness in your love, and in your's alone; it is not only my heart but my soul that panteth for your's.'

"With an effort of my whole being I pushed him away from me, and staggered back.

No, no!' I cried, 'do not tempt me beyond my strength; let me rather die.'

Thy will be done, but we shall die together, so that at least in death we may not be parted. There is an after-life, we may then, at least, cleave to one another like Dante's Francesca and her lover Paulo. Here,' said he, unwinding a silken scarf that he wore round his waist, 'let us bind ourselves closely together, and leap into the flood.'

"I looked at him, and shuddered. So young, so beautiful, and I was thus to murder him!