to me to learn the truth. I told him the
truth, and this has been the end of it.

Now you know it all; all except his look, his tone, his
manner. These I cannot tell you--cannot describe. I seem
now to know him better, understand him more thoroughly
than ever I did. He is a man for a tender-hearted woman
to love to madness. And I-- Ah! never mind, dearest; I
think--nay, I am sure I can get over it. You never could.
Yes; he is a man for a woman to worship; but yet he is
so rough, so stern, so harsh in his anger. He does not
measure his words at all. I don't think he knows the kind
of things he says. And yet the while his heart is so
tender, so soft; I could see it all. But he gives one no
time to acknowledge it--at least, he gave me none. Were
you ever scolded, upbraided, scorned by a man you loved?
and did you ever feel that you loved him the better for
all his scorn? I felt so. I could so feel, though it
was impossible to confess it. But he was wrong there.
He should not have upbraided me unless he intended to
forgive. I think I have read that it is not kingly for a
king to receive a suppliant for pardon unless he intends
to forgive. I can understand that. If his mind was made
up to condemn me altogether, he should have written and
so have convicted me. But in such matters he considers
nothing. He acts altogether from the heart.

I am, however, sure of this, dear Adela, that it is
all better as it is. There; with you, I will scorn all
falsehood. For once, and, if possible, only for once, the
truth shall stand out plainly. I love him as I never,
never can love another man. I love him as I never thought
to love any man. I feel at this moment as though I could
be content to serve him as his menial. For she who is his
wife must so serve him--and how long should I be content
to do so?

But yet I wrong him in this. He is most imperious,
absolutely imperious--must be altogether master in all
things; that is what I mean. But to one who loved him
well, and would permit this, he would be the tenderest,
gentlest, most loving of masters. He would not permit the
wind to blow too harshly on his slave. I have loved him
well, but I could not permit this. I could not permit it
for a whole lifetime; and therefore it is well that we
have parted.

You will hardly believe this of him, for he seems in