"There is no use in my asking you to forgive me--but it is not true that I do not respect you, or that I have acted as I have for the reason that I despise your class--That is a hateful thought. I came here to-night because I am a man--and was simply mad with longing for you after the tantalization of the last two days, and never being able to speak a word to you." His breath came rather fast, and he locked together his hands. "I love you--I would have come had you been the highest lady in the land. My action was not premeditated--it was yielding to a sudden strong temptation because I was sitting there in the smoking-room thinking of you, and I heard the noise of your soft footfall overhead, and suddenly all the furious passion in me would no longer be denied and cried out for you!" He rose and came over to her, and sitting down on the edge of the bed, he held out his arms to her in supplication. "It swept away all the civilisation in me. Nature breaks asunder all barriers in the best of us at times--and you are so adorably dear--Katherine--darling--I have done this thing, and now it is too late for me to plead for your pardon--but I love you more wildly than I have ever loved a woman in my life.--You could make me your slave, Katherine, if you would only give yourself to me. I would chase away the memory of that other and teach you all the divine things of love there are to learn in life." She moved and stood by the fireplace. She was shivering a little, half from cold. "I forbid you to say another word on this subject," she said gravely, but with less of her former scorn. "Neither you nor any other man could rob me of the memory of my once dear lover--but I would rather not hate you--so I appeal to that part of you that I still think is a gentleman to go at once out of my room." He followed her to the fire almost overcome again by the picture she presented in her straight thin garment, virgin white and plain. He wildly desired to unplait that thick soft hair and bury his face in it--he longed to hold her to his heart. But he restrained himself. There was complete silence for a second or two, and then across the park in the church tower, midnight pealed, tolling the dying year. They both lifted their heads to listen, unconsciously counting the strokes, and then when the last one struck, and the joyous bells rang out, something in their sound melted the anger and contempt in Katherine's soul. She looked at him, his refined, distinguished face very pale and utterly dejected now. And the broad-minded, level-headed judgment which she brought to bear on all matters told her that she had no right to great anger and made her realise for the first time that she was actually to blame perhaps for this situation having developed since she had not sufficiently considered what might be the possible result of arresting a man's attention through the eyes and ears.