a quick step towards me, and before I could prevent
it he had thrown himself at my feet on the cold stone floor, and was
holding my hands tightly in his.

"Adrea!" he cried, his voice choked with passion, "is this thing true?
My brain reels with the delight of it; but, oh, forgive me if I seem
to doubt! I know nothing of women, but surely your lips could never
lie! You are not mocking me? Oh, Adrea, my love, lift up your eyes and
swear that this is no dream. I am dizzy with joy! Speak to me! Let me
look into your face! I am not doubting you, yet say it once more! Tell
me it is not a dream!"

I lied to him with my face, and with my eyes, and with my lips. "It is
no dream," I said softly. "I have come to you, Adrian, because I want
you. No one else would do."

He stood up, pale and shaken. His voice was still full of deep,
throbbing earnestness. "Adrea!" he cried, "to-day I have been fighting
a grim fight. Look into my face and mark its traces. I am desperate!
For hours I have knelt on what was once a hallowed spot. In vain! In
vain! On my knees before the cross of Calvary I have striven to pray,
as a man wrestles for his life with the waves of a great ocean. Alas!
alas! In the twilight I fancied always that your face was moving
amongst the shadows, and even the breeze which rustled in the shrubs
around seemed ever to be murmuring your name. Oh, my love, my love,
sometimes I wonder that I have lived through the anguish of these
days. But it is over! You have come to me, and the evil days are past.
I renounce my priesthood! It has become only a barren farce to me!
Heaven or hell, what matters it? I leave here with you to-night never
to return! Never! never! never!"

He pressed hot kisses upon my hands; they stung me like molten lead,
but I did not withdraw them. Then he rose up and held out his arms to
me with a great yearning stealing into his dark eyes. But I kept him
away.

"Not here! not here!" I cried. "I heard footsteps outside. Let us go!"

"You are right," he answered. "Wait for me; I have but few
preparations to make."

He left me, and I breathed freely again. I had no fears, no
hesitation. I never dreamt of turning back; but I began to find my
task more difficult even than I had imagined. It was his touch, his
passionate looks and words which were so hard to endure. My lips could
lie, but it was hard to govern my looks; and oh, how I hated him!

Soon he was back--too soon for me; and then we left the p