ur father's eyes. Go to Copenhagen, as you proposed at one time to
do, and leave the rest to me. That will be best, I think."

"To Copenhagen!" he exclaimed. "You issue thus coldly your edict of
banishment! Are you implacable then, Miriam?" and the cold dew stood in
beads on his now pallid brow as he rose before me. He had not fully
realized his situation until now.

"'Implacable' is scarcely the word for this occasion, Claude. It implies
anger or hatred, it seems to me. Now, I feel neither of these--only the
truest sympathy."

"Your anger, your hatred, were far more welcome, Miriam--more natural
under the circumstances. This cool philosophy in one so young is
monstrous! Mock me no longer with your calm compassion--it maddens
me--it sinks me below contempt!"

He spoke gloomily, angrily, pushing away the clustering hair from his
brow in the way peculiar to him when excited, as he proceeded, stamping
slightly with his foot on the marble hearthstone in his impotent way. I
could but smile!

"I will not offend you further, Claude," I said, mildly. "Receive your
ring;" and I gave him back the diamond cross on a black enamel ground
set on its circle of gold that he had placed upon my finger as a pledge
of our betrothal; an ominous one, surely--for another cross was now to
be borne.

"Understand me distinctly, Claude, all is finally at an end between us
from this forever more! And now, farewell!"

"Go, Miriam, go!" he murmured. "Leave me to my fate--I have deserved it
all, and more. I have been weak and wicked--you shall not find me
ungrateful. Go, queenly spirit! go, soul of tenderness, pity, and most
unselfish faith, that ever folded its wings in human breast! go, and
find a fitter mate! For me, the world is wide, I shall offend your gaze
no more."

Without another word I left him. I could not trust myself to speak. Too
much of the past returned to render any further intercourse between us
wise, or other than torture at that season. Besides, my confidence in
him was gone forever, and with it had vanished respect, esteem,
affection!

CHAPTER VI.

"What is this Claude is talking of, Miriam?" asked Mr. Bainrothe a day
or two after the interview I have described in my last pages.
"Copenhagen again--and he seems quite dispirited. He says you have sent
him into banishment for a year, Miriam--a long probation truly!"

"Our engagement was to have been for that length of time from the
first," I said, evasively;