"It was I!" he exclaimed, with vehemence. "I set you on my horse, dearest. It was I--I--I. Oh, Urith! do not pretend not to know me! I have been away, in danger of my life, and I thought in the battle of you, only of you. Urith! my love! Turn your eyes on me. Look steadily at me. Do you remember how, when I had set you on my horse, I stood with my hand on the neck, and my eyes on you. You dazzled me then. My head spun. Urith! dear Urith, then I first knew that you only could be mine, that nowhere in the whole world could I find another I would care for. And yet--whilst I discovered that, I foresaw something dreadful, it was undefined, a mere shadow--and now it has come. Look me in the eyes, my darling! look me in the eyes, and you must know me." She obeyed him, in the same mechanical, dead manner and said, "I will not thus be addressed, I am no man's darling. I was the darling of Anthony once--a long time ago; but he ceased to love me; and he is dead. I killed him." "Anthony never ceased to love you. It is false. He always loved you, but sometimes more than at other times, for his self-love rose up and smothered his love for you--but never for long." "Did Anthony never cease to love me? How do you know that? How can you know that? You are deceiving me." "It is true. None know it as I do." She shook her head. "Listen to me, Urith. Anthony never loved any but you." "He had loved Julian," answered Urith. "He had from a child, and first love always lasts, it is tough and enduring." "No, he never loved her. I swear to you." She shook her head again, but drew a long breath, as though shaking off something of her load. "I cannot think you know," she said, after a pause. "I knew Anthony as myself." He caught her hand. "I insist--look me steadily in the face." She obeyed. Her eyes were without light, her hand was cold and shrinking from his touch, but he would not let it go. For a while there was symptom of struggle in her face, as though she desired to withdraw her eyes from him, but his superior will overcame the dim, half-formed desire, and then into her eyes came a faint glimmer of inquiry, then of vague alarm. "Urith?" "It is a long way down," she said. "A long way down? What do you mean?" "I am looking into hell." "What! through my eyes?" "I do not know; I am looking, and it goes down deep, then deeper, and again deeper. I am sinking, and at last I see him, he is far, far away down there in flames." She paused, and intensity of gaze came into her eyes. "In chains." She still looked, the iris of each orb contracting as though actually strained to see something afar off. "Parched." Then she moaned, and her face quivered. "All because he loved Julian when he was mine, and I shall go there too--for I killed him. I do not care. I could not be in heaven, and he there. I will be there--with him. I killed him." Anthony was dismayed. It seemed impossible to bring her to recognition. But he resolved to make one more attempt.