“Then I must help myself when you will not. You are cruel, my cousin, and force me to speak. I, Victor De Laprade, a poor gentleman, having found that in all honour I cannot marry Dorothy Carew, here declare that I am a pitiful fellow and leave her to go my own way, hoping that she will trouble me no further with her importunity. Now, that being done, let us be friends, which we should never have been had you married me.” “This is like you, Victor,” she said sadly; “I am a pitiful creature when I measure myself with you.” “You are a woman, my dear; I have served them long and bought my knowledge dearly. But you are better than most of them,” he added with a smile, “for some that I have known would have held me despite all that I have said. I was not made for your Shakespeare´s Benedict, I think it was.” “Oh!” she said, “but I cannot treat your words as serious; you are but playing with my weakness. I will not let you--how can I, a woman, say what I should say?” “You should say: Monsieur le Vicomte, I am happy that you have discovered yourself in time. You are free--go--farewell?” “But I cannot say that.” “Then I shall do it for you. My cousin,” he went on, more seriously, “my mind is made up. To-morrow I start again on my pilgrimage, and you are as free as air. Do not think that your words have pained me, for I have long known that I was unworthy and I myself almost desire to be free. We cannot live twice.” “You are too generous.” “By no means. I am only a prodigal; even this treasure I could not keep, but I must let it slip through my fingers with the rest. Now I shall leave you to think upon what I have said. Do not judge me hardly.” “I shall think of you always as the best gentleman in the world. Oh! Victor,” she cried, as though interrogating herself, “why cannot I love you?” “Because, my dear, I would not let you. There is but one thing more to do and then I leave your cold North for ever to seek my fortune elsewhere. ‘Et je m´en vais chercher du repos aux enfers.´ I shall send you a peace-offering that I know you will receive as much for my sake as its own. And now I kiss your hand.” * * * * *