se
small snow-peaks, while Florence is waiting for him in the garden--I
know well all the little graceful attentions that will be prepared
for him, vulgar dog as he is, who will not even recognise the special
courtesies that have been designed for him; well, if I be not sorely
mistaken, I have dropped some poison in his cup. I have taught Florence
to feel that courage is the first of manly attributes, and what is more
to the purpose, to have a sort of half dread that it is not amongst her
lover's gifts. I have left her as my last legacy that rankling doubt,
and I defy her to tear it out of her heart! What a sovereign antidote to
all romance it is, to have the conviction, or, if not the conviction the
impression, the mere suspicion, that he who spouts the fine sentiments
of the poet with such heartfelt ardour, is a poltroon, ready to run
from danger and hide himself at the approach of peril. I have made Milly
believe this; she has no doubt of it; so that if sisterly confidences
broach the theme, Florence will find all her worst fears confirmed. The
thought of this fellow as my rival maddens me!" cried he, as he started
up and paced the room impatiently. "Is not that Florence I see in the
garden? Alone, too! What a chance!" In a moment he hastened noiselessly
down the stairs, opened the drawing-room window and was beside her.

"I hope the bad news they tell me is not true," she said as the walked
along side by side.

"What is the bad news?"

"That you are going to leave us."

"And are you such a hypocrite, Florry, as to call this bad news, when
you and I both know how little I shall be needed here in a day or two?
We are not to have many more moments together; these are probably the
very last of them; let us be frank and honest I'm not surely asking too
much in that! For many a day you have sealed up my lips by the threat
of not speaking to me on the morrow. Your menace has been, if you repeat
this language, I will not walk with you again. Now, Florry, this threat
has lost its terror, for to-morrow I shall be gone, gone for ever, and
so to-day, here now, I say once more I love you! How useless to tell me
that it is all in vain; that you do not, cannot return my affection. I
tell you that I can no more despair that I can cease to love you! In the
force of that love I bear you is my confidence. I have the same trust in
it that I would have in my courage."

"If you but knew the pain you gave me by such words as these--"