Page 123 (1/1)

I rose to reat carved colu every vein with icy nu That passed; I roused, breathing quietly and deeply, and looked about, furtive, lest the faed to ashes, too

Presentlythere, face buried in clasped hands, too soft, too small, too frail to hold a man's whole destiny And, as I bent to kiss them, I scarce dared clasp them, scarce dared lift her to htened wonder in her eyes, and the full sweetness of theh their azure, as I think day must dawn in paradise!

"Now, in the nah life, through death, here upon earth, and afterward! I wed you noith heart and soul, and ring your body with my arms! I stand your champion, I kneel your lover, Elsin, till that day breaks on a red reckoning with him who did this sin! Then I shall wed you Will you takeat me from her very soul

"You need not wedone another, alked the floor in silence, slowly passing froing that Destiny whose shadowy visage we could now gaze on unafraid

The dusk of day was dissolving to a silvery night, through which the white-throat's song floated in distant, long-draeetness The little strea in slumber, and the breeze in the river-reeds

There, at the open , standing, she lifted her sweet face, looking into mine

"What will you do with me? I am yours"

"Wait for you"

"You need not wait, if it be your will"

"It is not my will that we ever part Nor shall edded or not Yet we must wait our wedded happiness"

"You need not, Carus"

"I know it and I wait"

"So then--so then you hold h place I fell froh place, Elsin"

"But my unpardonable sin----"

"What sin? The evil lies with hiht you--I loved you--I love you now--I offer my amends to you--myself to do with as it pleases you"

"Sweetheart, you could not stir froh I and Satan leagued to pull you down I, not you, owe the amends; I, not you, await your pleasure Yours to command, mine to obey Now, tell me, love, where my honor lies?"