I did what I could. I
told you the truth--I threw away the only thing that mattered to me. I
could not hold your love any longer by a lie--I loved you too much!"
For that moment the passionate energy of her words, the sincerity and
eloquence of her glance, swept back every thought of suspicion. He
stood stupefied, almost overwhelmed. Mechanically his lips formed
themselves to a few broken sentences.
"You can not know what you are saying. You are beside yourself. Once,
in my ignorance, I believed it possible, but now I know that it could
never be. Your race despises mine--"
"I do not care what you are nor to whom you belong!" she broke in,
exulting. "You are the man who taught me to believe that there is
something in this world that is good, that is worthy of veneration;
who awoke in me what little good I have. I love you. If I could win
you back--"
"What then?"
"I would follow you to the world's end!"
"As my wife?"
"As your wife!"
He held out his arms toward her, impulse rising like the sun high and
splendid above the mists of distrust. It was an instant's
forgetfulness, which passed as rapidly as it had come. His arms sank
heavily to his side.
"Have you thought what that means? If you go with me, you must leave
your people for ever."
"I would follow you gladly."
He shook his head.
"You do not understand. You must leave them now--now when I go against
them."
"No!" she broke in roughly.
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