at you love not, and will never love, and have
never loved, no, nor cared the price of a straw for Eleanor Gwyn."

"Is that the whole truth?" said I.

She was holding my hands still; she pressed them now and sighed lightly.

"Why, yes, it's the whole truth. Let it be the whole truth, Simon. What
matters that a man once lived when he's dead, or once loved when he
loves no more?"

"Yet I won't tell him more than is true," said I.

"You'll be ashamed to say anything else?" she whispered, looking up into
my face.

"Now, by Heaven, I'm not ashamed," said I, and I kissed her hand.

"You're not?"

"No, not a whit. I think I should be ashamed, had my heart never strayed
to you."

"Ah, but you say 'strayed'!"

I made her no answer, but asked forgiveness with a smile. She drew her
hand sharply away, crying,

"Go your ways, Simon Dale, go your ways; go to your Barbara, and your
Hatchstead, and your dulness, and your righteousness."

"We part in kindness?" I urged.

For a moment I thought she would answer peevishly, but the mood passed,
and she smiled sincerely on me as she replied:

"Ay, in all loving-kindness, Simon; and when you hear the sour gird at
me, say--why, say, Simon, that even a severe gentleman, such as you are,
once found some good in Nelly. Will you say that for me?"

"With all my heart."

"Nay, I care not what you say," she burst out, laughing again. "Begone,
begone! I swore to the King that I would speak but a dozen words to you.
Begone!"

I bowed and turned towards the door. She flew to me suddenly, as if to
speak, but hesitated. I waited for her; at last she spoke, with eyes
averted and an unusual embarrassment in her air.

"If--if you're not ashamed to speak my name to Mistress Barbara, tell
her I wish her well, and pray her to think as kindly of me as she can."

"She has much cause to think kindly," said I.

"And will therefore think unkindly! Simon, I bid you begone."

She held out her hand to me, and I kissed it again.

"This time we part for good and all," said she. "I've loved you, and
I've hated you, and I have nearly loved you. But it is nothing to be
loved by me, who love all the world."

"Nay, it's something," said I. "Fare you well."

I passed out, but turned to find her eyes on me. She was laughing and
nodding her head, swaying to and fro on her feet as her manner was. She
blew me a kiss from her lips. So I went, and my life knew her no more.

But when the strict rail o