I was on the point of interfering in order to bring the colloquy to an
end, but I hesitated. They appeared to have forgotten that I was
there.

"How so?" said Alresca in a curious whisper. "I have nothing to keep
from you, my dear child."

"Yes," she said, "you are keeping something from me. This afternoon
you told Sir Cyril that you were expecting a misfortune. Well, the
misfortune has occurred to you. How did you guess that it was coming?
Then, to-night, as they were carrying you away on that stretcher, do
you remember what you said?"

"What did I say?"

"You remember, don't you?" Rosa faltered.

"I remember," he admitted. "But that was nonsense. I didn't know what
I was saying. My poor Rosa, I was delirious. And that is just why I
wished to see you--in order to explain to you that that was nonsense.
You must forget what I said. Remember only that I love you."

("So Emmeline was right," I reflected.)

Abruptly Rosa stood up.

"You must not love me, Alresca," she said in a shaking voice. "You ask
me to forget something; I will try. You, too, must forget
something--your love."