Her eyes were fixed full on his, in a vague but painful surprise; she did not attempt yet to reply. “It is this harmonious repose that charms me so in Rosalia.” “Then why,” she murmured at last, “why were you ever attracted to one so every way opposite as myself?” “Because you can be made every way better; one don’t want a character _all_ cotton wool; a good steel spring that rebounds from pressure is not unpleasant in your organization. I like to know that there is a strength, force, energy in you when required, but I like it—_latent_—under perfect _command_—do you mark! and you are not, because you happen to have a whole magazine of artillery and ammunition, to fire and flame and blaze away at such a rate! _or in the least degree_; you must grow tame, my wild love.” “My peculiarities, then, are not altogether repulsive to you; you love me, despite of them all!” “I love you _because_ of them all, my Hagar; and—but _mind_!” and here his voice sank to a lower key and deeper tone than she had ever heard, and his gaze was steadily fixed on hers, “_You must place confidence in me_; that I demand! without that your love is worthless to me; mine to you. I love Rosalia, but not in the way you imagine, foolish girl. I would not marry her if I could. You spoke of my admiration of her last evening. I was ‘drunk’ with gazing on her beauty—a delicate word for a lady, by the way—never let me hear it from your lips again, Hagar! I was ‘entranced,’ &c.—now observe, I will illustrate—last week you and I rode out together; it was a beautiful evening, and the sun was sinking like a world in flames, lighting up into flashing splendor half a hemisphere of crimson purple and gold sky, of blue water, and green hills and vales; and you, drawing rein upon the brink of a lofty cliff, gazed rapt upon the scene until your face was as a small mirror reflecting all the glow of the sunset—your soul seemed pouring from your eyes, until the sun sank behind a bank of clouds that lay like a low range of blue mountains immediately on the horizon, and then the spell that bound your revery was dissolved.” Oh! how intensely her eyes burned into _his_ eyes while he spoke; he continued speaking slowly. “As you, upon the brow of the cliff gazed, gazed on the sun-set’s glory; so _I_ gazed upon the young girl’s beauty!”