r brain:

"Broken faith is the crown of evils,
Broken vows are the knotted thongs
Set in the hands of laughing devils,
To scourge us for deep wrongs.

"Broken hearts, when all is ended,
Bear the better all after-stings;
Bruised once, the citadel mended,
Standeth through all things."

Suddenly he turned upon her with aggrieved petulance. "Why are you so
eager for proof?"

"Oh, I have," she said, with a sudden flood of tears in her voice,
though her eyes were dry--"I have the feeling your mother had, that
nothing will be well until you undo the wrong your father did. I know
it was not your fault. I feel for you--oh, believe me, I feel as I have
never felt, could never feel, for myself. It was brought on you by your
father, but you must be the more innocent because he was so guilty. You
have had much out of it, it has helped you on your way. It does not mean
so much now. By-and-by another--an English-peerage may be yours by your
own achievement. Let it go. There is so much left, Harry. It is a small
thing in a world of work. It means nothing to me." Once again, even when
she had given up all hope, seeing what was the bent of his mind--once
again she made essay to win him out of his selfishness. If he would only
say, "I have you left," how she would strive to shut all else out of her
life!

He was exasperated. His usual prescience and prudence forsook him. It
angered him that she should press him to an act of sacrifice for the
man who had so great an influence upon her. Perversity possessed him.
Lifelong egotism was too strong for wisdom, or discretion.

Suddenly he caught her hands in both of his and said hoarsely: "Do you
love me--answer me, do you love me with all your heart and soul? The
truth now, as though it were your last word on earth."

Always self. She had asked, if not in so many words, for a little love,
something for herself to feed on in the darkening days for him, for her,
for both; and he was thinking only of himself.

She shrank, but her hands lay passive in his. "No, not with all my heart
and soul--but, oh--!"

He flung her hands from him. "No, not with all your heart and soul--I
know! You are willing to sacrifice me for him, and you think I do not
understand."

She drew herself up, with burning cheeks and flashing eyes. "You
understand nothing--nothing. If you had ever understood me, or any human
being, or any