ire.

"Marriage," she said in a strange voice. "Oh! what an unutterable coward
you must be to speak that word. Call what is proposed by any foul title
which you will, but at least leave the holy name of marriage undefiled."

"It is not my fault," he answered sullenly, but shrinking beneath her
words. "You know, Elsa, that I wished to wed you honourably enough."

"Yes," she broke in, "and because I would not listen, because you do not
please me, and you could not win me as a man wins a maid, you--you laid
a trap and kidnapped me, thinking to get by brute force that which my
heart withheld. Oh! in all the Netherlands lives there another such
an abject as Adrian called van Goorl, the base-born son of Ramiro the
galley slave?"

"I have told you that it is false," he replied furiously. "I had nothing
to do with your capture. I knew nothing of it till I saw you here."

Elsa laughed a very bitter laugh. "Spare your breath," she said, "for if
you swore it before the face of the recording Angel I would not believe
you. Remember that you are the man who betrayed your brother and your
benefactor, and then guess, if you can, what worth I put upon your
words."

In the bitterness of his heart Adrian groaned aloud, and from that groan
Elsa, listening eagerly, gathered some kind of hope.

"Surely," she went on, with a changed and softened manner, "surely you
will not do this wickedness. The blood of Dirk van Goorl lies on your
head; will you add mine to his? For be sure of this, I swear it by my
Maker, that before I am indeed a wife to you I shall be dead--or mayhap
you will be dead, or both of us. Do you understand?"

"I understand, but----"

"But what? Where is the use of this wickedness? For your soul's sake,
refuse to have aught to do with such a sin."

"But if so, my father will marry you."

It was a chance arrow, but it went home, for of a sudden Elsa's strength
and eloquence seemed to leave her. She ran to him with her hands
clasped, she flung herself upon her knees.

"Oh! help me to escape," she moaned, "and I will bless you all my life."

"It is impossible," he answered. "Escape from this guarded place,
through those leagues of melting snow? I tell you that it is
impossible."

"Then," and her eyes grew wild, "then kill him and free me. He is a
devil, he is your evil genius; it would be a righteous deed. Kill him
and free me."

"I should like to," answered Adrian; "I nearly did once, but, for my
soul's sake,