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204 thou wilt only love me, I regret nothing," and he looked with longing into her eyes.

"Tell me but one thing," she said; "assure me that thou thyself didst not bring hither the pestilence that destroyed my race."

His face darkened, and he said—

"That is long since past, and I have become a different being."

She shrank back, and said—

"At least, say that it was thy companions—that thine own hands are guiltless."

"Surely thou didst know before that I alone did it," he said.

Horror seized her, and she cried—

"How can I forget? How can I dwell with thee or love thee?"

But he said with passionate entreaty—

"Now I am altogether different. Since I knew thee, it is as if I had been born again."