with her into the gulf below, and so end the contest forever. I might
have done it,--I cannot tell,--but, suddenly, she wrenched herself out
of my arms and fled over the Arch, to the farther side. I followed,
trembling, blinded, with the violence of my emotion. At that moment I
was ready to give up my life, my soul, into her hands.

'In the woods beyond she paused, glanced over her shoulder toward me,
then turned eagerly. 'Voila,' she said, pointing. I looked
down and saw several silver pieces that had dropped from my pocket as
I sprang over the rocks, and, with an impatient gesture, I thrust them
aside with my foot.

'Non,' she cried, tuning toward me and stooping eagerly,--'so
much! O, so much! See! four shilling!' Her eyes glistened with longing
as she held the money in her hand and fingered each piece lovingly.

'The sudden revulsion of feeling produced by her words and gesture
filled me with fury. 'Keep it, and buy yourself a soul if you can!' I
cried; and turning away, I left her with her gains.

'Merci, monsieur,' she answered gayly, all unmindful of my
scorn; and off she ran, holding her treasure tightly clasped in both
hands. I could hear her singing far down the path.

'It is a bitter thing to feel a scorn for yourself! Did I love this
girl who stooped to gather a few shillings from under my feet? Was it,
then, impossible for me to conquer this ignoble passion? No; it could
not and it should not be! I plunged again into all the gayety; I left
myself not one free moment; if sleep came not, I forced it to come
with opiates; Jeannette had gone to the fishing grounds, the weeks