e.

"By Heaven, it is you who are cruel," he said at last. "How can I make
you see your injustice?"

"In no way. There's nothing more to be said between us two after this,
except--good-by."

"It shall not be good-by."

"It must. I wish it."

He had caught her dress as she turned to go, but now he released her.
"You wish it? It's not true that you love me, then?"

"It was true. Everything--everything in my whole life--is changed from
this hour. It would be better if I'd never seen you. Good-by."

CHAPTER XI

THE MAN WHO WAITED

She ran from him, along the moonlit path. One step he took as if to
follow and keep her, but checked himself and let her go. Only his eyes
went with her, and in them there was more of pain than anger, though
never before in all his life, perhaps, had he been thwarted in any
strong desire. Passion urged him forward, but pride held him back; for
Leopold was a proud man, and to have his love thrown in his face, was
to receive an icy douche with the blood at fever heat.

For this girl's sake he had in a few days changed the habits of a
lifetime. Pride, reserve, self-control, the wish not only to appear,
but to be a man, above the frailties of common men, the ambition to be
placed, and worthily placed, on a pedestal by his subjects; all these
he had thrown away for Helen Mowbray.

He was too just a man not to admit that, if one of his Royal cousins
of younger branches, had contemplated such folly as this, he would
have done his best to nip that folly while it was in bud. "He jests at
scars who never felt a wound"; and until Leopold had learned by his
own unlooked-for experience what love can mean, what men will do for
love while the sweet madness is on them, he would have been utterly
unable to understand the state of mind.

A cousin inclined to act as he was now bent on acting, would but a
month ago have found all the Emperor's influence, even force perhaps,
brought to bear in restraining him. Leopold saw the change in himself,
was startled and shamed by it; nevertheless he would have persevered,
trampling down every obstacle that rose in his way, if only the girl
had seen things with his eyes.

She had accused him of insulting her, not stopping to consider that,
even to make her morganatically his wife, he must give great cause for
complaint not only to his ministers but to his people. For he was
expected to marry a girl of Royal blood, that the country might have
an heir. I