"Is there?" Honor said with a cutting sarcasm, which delighted Guy's heart, "you really are giving me a piece of information which I should never have gained from my own personal conclusions. But, have we not had enough of this romantic nonsense, Mr Standish? I think they have begun another dance." "I don't care if they have," the handsome lover cried huskily, clasping Honor's hands passionately, and looking into her face with a sort of hopeless defiance, "I have a word to say, that has been long enough hanging unsaid upon my lips--hear me now--you must--Honor--I love you--and I want you to become my wife." There was a breathless pause of a second--Guy feared the beatings of his heart would betray him--hungrily he waited to catch the word that would fall from Honor Edgeworth's lips--his rage, his contempt, his indignation, had all subsided during this interval of terrible suspense--he had forgotten for that little moment the depravity of the man before him, he only knew, that in Honor's eyes, this was a dashing, handsome, fascinating young fellow, and that the great crisis of his own life as upon him--one other minute and over the vista of coming years, would have settled a pall of hopeless darkness or a flood of gorgeous sunshine--he listened in smothered breaths, the moon hid herself behind a dark, curling cloud, he could not see now, but he heard the voice, that had filled his heart for years, speak out m firm and clear, though gentle accents. "Mr. Standish," Honor said, "will you kindly release my hands from your uncomfortable grasp," his hands immediately fell by his sides, "I will not say your precipitation surprises me," she continued coldly, "somehow, nothing, that _you could_ do, would actually surprise me, but I must say it displeases me. One instant, suffices for me, to review my conduct towards you, since the hour of our first meeting, and I can find absolutely nothing therein, which could have encouraged or even sanctioned you, in such a wild plan as this--you cannot be quite yourself to-night--let us forget this unpleasant episode, and return to the ball-room. I regret having come here at all."