"My king," she repeated, woman-like, unmoved by the plain reason of my statement. "We have no kings in the Republic," I argued. "But I have a king in my heart! Ah, Juan, if you but knew the fulness of your conquest! Love was in my heart from the first. Love can creep through keyholes. But pride barred the way against your entrance. Did I not mock you and scorn you and look coldly upon you? Yet Love forced me to give you the fighting chance, to put you to the test." "That was the mystery--the secret of your eyes!" I exclaimed. "And you had the courage to guess aright, to persevere against all my scorn and hauteur, to cross the barrier of rock and the barrier of pride and birth, into my heart, Juan!" "Forever in your heart, as you in mine!" "Forever!" "When will you wed me, dearest one?" At the words she quivered and sought to draw away, but I held her fast. "No, Alisanda! I cannot release you until you have told me. When shall we be married?" "Ah, Juan!" she sighed. "How can I answer you? I fear that it will be never!" "Never!" "My uncle has asked me to sacrifice myself for the sake of the revolution." "By marrying the Viceroy?" "No!" "No?--Then whom?" "The Governor-General." "Him--Salcedo?--that old tyrant?" "It is my uncle's wish. He says it would free millions of people, my countrymen." "Your countrymen? You come from Old Spain! No! And what if that man should sell himself for your beauty? Could such a man be trusted? Yet suppose he held true to his pledge to lead the revolution, and suppose the revolution should triumph, would it not be the triumph of Salcedo? Would this wretched land be less oppressed under Salcedo the King than under Salcedo the Governor-General? Answer me, Alisanda Vallois. You know the man!" "_Madre de los Dolores!_--And I would have made the sacrifice for that! Juan, you have given me an answer to my uncle's plea. He may break my heart, but he shall not force me to marry against my wish. Rather than that, I will take the veil." "Become a nun?" I protested. "If I may not marry you, Juan." "But you will marry me, Alisanda--you must!" "How can I, dear? You have yet to cross the gulf." "Father Rocus--" I began. "He has spoken for you on that, yet admits a doubt. Can I wed you while I still think of it as a sin--a marriage against God's will?" A sudden great fear embittered my rapture and dashed me to the earth. "Alisanda," I pleaded, "is not our love true love? Can such love be wrong in the sight of God?" "I have prayed the Virgin for hours without answer to that," she sighed. "And when the holy priest admits a doubt--If I do not come to you with a clear conscience, Juan, I shall be unworthy of your love." "Leave that to me to judge!"