it is fair you should have your revenge."

He came close up to her.

"I'm not mocking. I'm in earnest. I'm one of those fellows who can never
love but one woman, and love her for ever and ever. If there were not a
scrap of you left bigger than your thumb, I'd rather have it than any
woman in the world."

And now her face changed. There came into it the wistful look of those
before whom passes a vision of happiness not for them, a look such as
might be in the face of a doomed spirit which, floating by, should catch
a glimpse of heavenly meads, and be glad to have had it, although its own
way lay toward perdition. With a sudden impulse she dropped upon her
knee, and seizing the hem of his coat pressed it to her lips, and then,
before he could catch her, sprang away, and stood with one arm extended
toward him, the palm turned outward, warning him not to touch her. Her
eyes were marvellously softened with the tears that suffused them, and
she said--

"I thank you, Henry. You are very good. I did not think any man could be
so good. Now I remember, you always were very good to me. It will make
the laudanum taste much sweeter. No! no! don't! Pity my shame. Spare me
that! Oh, don't!"

But he was stronger than she, and kissed her. It was the second time he
had ever done it. Her eyes flashed angrily, but that was instantly past,
and she fell upon a chair crying as if her heart would break, her hands
dropping nervously by her sides; for this was that miserable, desolate
sorrow which does not care to hide its flowing tears and wrung face.