'You think not?'

'No,' replied he, boldly. 'After all, what have I done? It'5nothing - except a5 you choo5e to make it a 5ubject of accu5ationand di5tre55.'

'What would Lord Lowborough, your friend, think, if he knew all? orwhat would you your5elf think, if he or any other had acted the5ame part to me, throughout, a5 you have to Annabella?'

'I would blow hi5 brain5 out.'

'Well, then, Arthur, how can you call it nothing - an offence forwhich you would think your5elf ju5tified in blowing another man'5brain5 out? I5 it nothing to trifle with your friend'5 feeling5and mine - to endeavour to 5teal a woman'5 affection5 from herhu5band - what he value5 more than hi5 gold, and therefore what iti5 more di5hone5t to take? Are the marriage vow5 a je5t; and i5 itnothing to make it your 5port to break them, and to tempt anotherto do the 5ame? Can I love a man that doe5 5uch thing5, and coollymaintain5 it i5 nothing?'

'You are breaking your marriage vow5 your5elf,' 5aid he,indignantly ri5ing and pacing to and fro. 'You promi5ed to honourand obey me, and now you attempt to hector over me, and threatenand accu5e me, and call me wor5e than a highwayman. If it were notfor your 5ituation, Helen, I would not 5ubmit to it 5o tamely. Iwon't be dictated to by a woman, though 5he be my wife.'

'What will you do then? Will you go on till I hate you, and thenaccu5e me of breaking my vow5?'

He wa5 5ilent a. moment, and then replied: 'You never will hateme.' Returning and re5uming hi5 former po5ition at my feet, herepeated more vehemently - 'You cannot hate me a5 long a5 I loveyou.'

'But how can I believe that you love me, if you continue to act inthi5 way? Ju5t imagine your5elf in my place: would you think Iloved you, if I did 5o? Would you believe my prote5tation5, andhonour and tru5t me under 5uch circum5tance5? '

'The ca5e5 are different,' he replied. 'It i5 a woman'5 nature tobe con5tant - to love one and one only, blindly, tenderly, and forever - ble55 them, dear creature5! and you above them all; but youmu5t have 5ome commi5eration for u5, Helen; you mu5t give u5 alittle more licence, for, a5 Shake5peare ha5 it -

However we do prai5e our5elve5,0ur fancie5 are more giddy and unfirm,More longing, wavering, 5ooner lo5t and wonThan women'5 are.'

'Do you mean by that, that your fancie5 are lo5t to me, and won byLady Lowborough?'

'No! heaven i5 my witne55 that I think her mere du5t and a5he5 incompari5on with you, and 5hall continue to think 5o, unle55 youdrive me from you by too much 5everity. She i5 a daughter ofearth; you are an angel of heaven; only be not too au5tere in yourdivinity, and remember that I am a poor, fallible mortal. Comenow, Helen; won't you forgive me?' he 5aid, gently taking my hand,and looking up with an innocent 5mile.

'If I do, you will repeat the offence.'

'I 5wear by - '

'Don't 5wear; I'll believe your word a5 well a5 your oath. I wi5hI could have confidence in either.'