you. You are mine. I
will never let you go. Wherever my home be, I have chosen my wife. If I
stay in England, in England you will stay; if I cross the Atlantic, you
will cross it also. Our lives are riveted, our lots intertwined.'

"'And are we equal, then, sir? are we equal at last?'

"'You are younger, frailer, feebler, more ignorant than I.'

"'Will you be good to me, and never tyrannize?'

"'Will you let me breathe, and not bewilder me? You must not smile at
present. The world swims and changes round me. The sun is a dizzying
scarlet blaze, the sky a violet vortex whirling over me.'

"I am a strong man, but I staggered as I spoke. All creation was
exaggerated. Colour grew more vivid, motion more rapid, life itself more
vital. I hardly saw her for a moment, but I heard her voice--pitilessly
sweet. She would not subdue one of her charms in compassion. Perhaps she
did not know what I felt.

"'You name me leopardess. Remember, the leopardess is tameless,' said
she.

"'Tame or fierce, wild or subdued, you are _mine_.'

"'I am glad I know my keeper and am used to him. Only his voice will I
follow; only his hand shall manage me; only at his feet will I repose.'

"I took her back to her seat, and sat down by her side. I wanted to hear
her speak again. I could never have enough of her voice and her words.

"'How much do you love me?' I asked.

"'Ah! you know. I will not gratify you--I will not flatter.'

"'I don't know half enough; my heart craves to be fed. If you knew how
hungry and ferocious it is, you would hasten to stay it with a kind word
or two.'

"'Poor Tartar!' said she, touching and patting my hand--'poor fellow,
stalwart friend, Shirley's pet and favourite, lie down!'

"'But I will not lie down till I am fed with one sweet word.'

"And at last she gave it.

"'Dear Louis, be faithful to me; never leave me. I don't care for life
unless I may pass it at your side.'

"'Something more.'

"She gave me a change; it was not her way to offer the same dish twice.

"'Sir,' she said, starting up, 'at your peril you ever again name such
sordid things as money, or poverty, or inequality. It will be absolutely
dangerous to torment me with these maddening scruples. I defy you to do
it.'

"My face grew hot. I did once more wish I were not so poor or she were
not so rich. She saw the transient misery; and then, indeed, she
caressed me. Blent with torment, I experienced rapture.

"'Mr. Moore,' said she, l