Page:The Prisoner of Zenda.djvu/308

286 me, and I heard her murmur: "My darling, how hot your head is!"

Somehow love gives even to a dull man the knowledge of his lover's heart. I had come to humble myself and pray pardon for my presumption; but what I said now was:

"I love you with all my heart and soul!"

For what troubled and shamed her? Not her love for me, but the fear that I had counterfeited the lover as I had acted the king, and taken her kisses with a smothered smile.

"With all my life and heart!" said I, as she clung to me. "Always, from the first moment I saw you in the cathedral! There has been but one woman in the world to me—and there will be no other. But God forgive me the wrong I've done you!"

"They made you do it!" she said quickly; and she added, raising her head and looking in my eyes, "It might have made no difference if I'd known it. It was always you, never the king!" and she raised herself and kissed me.

"I meant to tell you," said I. "I was going to