When dinner was over, and Genefer had withdrawn, Herring said to Mirelle, ’Now, dearest, come into the ingle-nook, and sit on the settle. The great back will cut off every draught, and you will become warm there. I will bring my chair beside you.’ She rose, without answering, and took the place he indicated. The settle was of oak, dark and well polished, with the four cardinal virtues carved in panels above the heads of those who sat in it. It had stamped and gilt leather at the back, a little way up, and a crimson cushion on the seat. Herring thrust a footstool under Mirelle’s feet, and, taking a chair, drew it near her. ’Dear Mirelle,’ he said, ’welcome to your future home.’ ’Thank you, Mr. Herring.’ ’You must not call me _Mr._ Herring.’ ’No, I know I must not. I will do my duty. I will call you by your Christian name. But you must not be angry with me it will not come at once. I will do my best, if you will have patience.’ ’Mirelle!—nothing could make me angry with you.’ ’Nothing?’ Then she sighed and looked into the fire. ’Is there something troubling your mind?’ he asked, unable to understand her manner. ’Yes,’ she said, and looked up timidly at him, then withdrew her glance before his eyes; ’I will do my duty. You are my husband, and I must let you see all my heart. It is proper that you should. I will do what I know in my conscience to be right.’ ’I will gladly look into that dear heart, and all I ask and hope is that I may find there a little sparkle of love for me.’ She shivered, and was silent again, still looking into the flames, broodingly. ’Dear, dear Mirelle,’ he said, ’although you are now my wife, bound to me for ever, you have not yet given me, or received from me, a kiss. You have not once told me that you love me.’ Then she looked round full at him, with her large, sad, dark eyes, and rested them on him for full a minute without a word; but he saw that something was stirring in her heart. Then she said gravely, ’I respect you very much, John Herring.’ ’Respect will not do for me. I want love,’ he said with vehemence. ’I esteem you above all men.’ ’That is insufficient. I will be satisfied with nothing short of love.’ ’I do not love you.’ Those few words went like a bullet through his heart. He could not speak. She saw that she had pained him unutterably. She went on. ’I am bound to speak the truth. I cannot lie; I cannot dissemble. What I say is true. I give you everything that is in my power to give. I am yours. I believe you to be the best, the noblest, the truest of men. But love——’ She slowly shook her head and sighed, and relapsed into looking into the burning wood. His power of speech was gone from him. ’You must not expect too much from me,’ she said; ’I will do my duty.’ ’Duty!’ he cried, and sprang to his feet. ’Duty is not what I ask for. I know you will do your duty—as an angel of God will do his duty. But I ask for, and must have—love.’