But you forget your limitations
in this world, and that which lives above you. You say you will do this
and that. You should study a book which few of you ever read, where it
tells you that you do not know what you will be on the morrow; that your
life is even as a vapour appearing for a little time and then vanishing
away. You think that you can crush the man to whom I have given my heart
because he is honest and you are dishonest, because you are rich and he
is poor, and because he chances to have succeeded where you have not.
Well, for myself and for him I defy you. Do your worst and fail, and
when you have failed, in the hour of your extremity remember my words
to-day. If I have given you pain by refusing you it is not my fault and
I am sorry, but when you threaten the man who has honoured me with
his love and whom I honour above every creature upon the earth, then I
threaten back, and may the Power that made us all judge between you and
me, as judge it will," and bursting into tears she turned and left him.
Sir Robert watched her go.
"What a woman!" he said meditatively, "what a woman--to have lost. Well
she has set the stakes and we will play out the game.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115