It
can never go any farther. No word has passed--" She hesitated, in
doubt about the expression she should use next, hesitated in a
momentary confusion which it was very sad and very painful to see.
"No word has passed," she patiently and resolutely resumed,
"between myself and the person to whom I am now referring for the
first and last time in your presence of my feelings towards him,
or of his feelings towards me--no word ever can pass--neither he
nor I are likely, in this world, to meet again. I earnestly beg
you to spare me from saying any more, and to believe me, on my
word, in what I have just told you. It is the truth. Sir
Percival, the truth which I think my promised husband has a claim
to hear, at any sacrifice of my own feelings. I trust to his
generosity to pardon me, and to his honour to keep my secret."
"Both those trusts are sacred to me," he said, "and both shall be
sacredly kept."
After answering in those terms he paused, and looked at her as if
he was waiting to hear more.
"I have said all I wish to say," she added quietly--"I have said
more than enough to justify you in withdrawing from your
engagement."
"You have said more than enough," he answered, "to make it the
dearest object of my life to KEEP the engagement.
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