’Stand there, I pray—oh, do not come nearer!’ she pleaded, with pain in her voice. ’Mirelle, dear Mirelle!’ he said; and then the pent-up love of his heart broke forth. He told her how he had loved her from the moment that he first saw her, how, hopeless of ever winning her, he had battled with his love, how vain his efforts had been, and how his highest ambition was to live for her and make her happy. He spoke in plain, simple words, with the rough eloquence of passion and sincerity. She listened to him, with her hands again on the mantelpiece, looking at him, with her dark eyes wide open, and the red glow of the fire in them. She did not follow his words, she heard them without comprehending them. She was full of her own grief and could think of nothing else. She woke out of abstraction when he asked her, ’Mirelle, may I think myself so happy as to be able to count on your being mine?’ ’I will be your wife,’ she said. ’Oh, dear, dear Mirelle! My whole life shall be devoted to you. This is the happiest day I have ever known.’ ’One thing I must say,’ said she; ’you know I am a Catholic. I will never give up my faith. You will assure me perfect freedom to follow my own dear religion. I could live without everything, but not without that.’ He gave her the requisite assurance. ’You and I,’ she said sadly, ’have not the same faith—that is, as far as I can see, you disbelieve in more than half of the verities which are the very life of my soul. We cannot be united in the holiest and most beautiful of all bonds, which has eternity before it, to which both press on together. That cannot be. You go one way, I another. But as far as can be, I will be all that you will require.’ ’You are everything I desire now. I have but to look at you, and I think I see a saint or angel from heaven.’ She put up her hand, and brushed his words away. They offended her. But they were sincere; there was no flattery in them. Mirelle was an ideal to Herring. Again he stepped forward. He would take her hands, he would kiss colour and heat into those cold and faded lips. He had a right to do this. Was she not about to become his wife?