"I mean it," she said. "That is what I will do. I swear that I will.
Yes--now you may."
And she kissed him of her own accord, but quickly withdrew herself from
his arms again.
"You have your choice," she said, "and you must choose quickly, for I
have been here too long--it must be nearly half an hour since I left my
room, and Nella is waiting for me, thinking that I am with my brother
and his wife. Promise me to do what I ask, and I will go back, and when
my father comes home I will tell him the whole troth. That is the wisest
thing, after all. Or, I will go with you, if you will take me as I am."
"No," he answered, with an effort. "I will not take you with me."
It cost him a hard struggle to refuse. There she was, resting against
his arm, in the blush and wealth of unspent love, asking to go with him,
who loved her better than his life. But in a quick vision he saw her
with him, she who was delicately nurtured and used from childhood to all
that care and money could give, he saw her with him, sharing his misery,
his hunger and his wandering, suffering silently for love's sake, but
suffering much, and he could not bear the fancied sight.
"I should be in your way," she said. "Besides, they would send all over
Italy to find me.
Pages:
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334