him with a short word of reply. She had expected from him reproach,
but not love. There was reproach indeed, but it came with an
expression of passion of which she had not known him to be capable.
He stood before her telling her that she had broken his heart, and,
as he told her so, his words were half choked by sobs. He reminded
her of her promises, declaring that his own to her had ever remained
in full force. And he told her that she, she to whom he had looked
for all his joy, had become a curse to him and a blight upon his
life. There were thoughts and feelings too beyond all these that
crowded themselves upon her heart and upon her mind at the moment.
It had been possible for her to accept the hand of Adrian Urmand
because she had become assured that George Voss no longer regarded
her as his promised bride. She would have stood firm against her
uncle and her aunt, she would have stood against all the world, had
it not seemed to her that the evidence of her cousin's indifference
was complete. Had not that evidence been complete at all points, it
would have been impossible to her to think of becoming the wife of
another man. Now the evidence on that matter which had seemed to
her to be so sufficient was all blown to the winds.

It is true that had all her feelings been guided by reason only, she
might have been as strong as ever. In truth she had not sinned
against him. In truth she had not sinned at all. She had not done
that which she herself had desired. She had not been anxious for
wealth, or ease, or position; but had, after painful thought,
endeavoured to shape her conduct by the wishes of others, and by her
ideas of duty, as duty had been taught to her. O, how willingly
would she have remained as servant to her uncle, and have allowed M.
Urmand to carry the rich gift of his linen-chest to the feet of some
other damsel, had she believed herself to be free to choose! Had