We put in action the force which brings all
that we receive, and we who have courage pay the price without
flinching, and, above and beyond all momentary pleasure or pain, we must
be true to ourselves."
"I cannot, I cannot!" he groaned in agony. "How can you condemn me to
such a fate?--tied to this woman whose every influence is degrading to
me; parted from you whom I adore--I would rather be dead. It is not
fair--not just, if you only knew!"
Then he continued wildly. "Ah, God--and it is all because I forgot the
meaning of your dear and sacred, pledge with me that I must always be
good and true! If I could suffer alone--my darling, my soul!--then I
would go without a word back to hell, if you sent me. But you,
too--think, Halcyone! Can you bear your life? You who are so young,
separated for evermore from love and me. Oh! my own, my own--"
Here he stopped his mad rush of words--her face was so white and
grave--and he let her draw herself from him, and put her hands upon his
shoulders, while her eyes, with tender stars of purity melting in their
depths, gazed into his.
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