“My dear Madaline,” he said, “you must not overlook what the honor of my race demands.  I have my own ideas of what is due to my ancestors; and I cannot think that I have sinned by broken vows.  I vowed to love you—­so I do, my darling, ten thousand times better than anything else on earth.  I vowed to be true and faithful to you—­so I am, for I would not ever look at another woman’s face.  I vowed to protect you and to shield you—­so I do, my darling; I have surrounded you with luxury and ease.”

What could she reply—­what urge or plead?

“So, in the eyes of Heaven, my wife, I cannot think I am wronging you.”

“Then,” she said, humbly, “my coming here, my pleading, is in vain.”

“Not in vain, my darling.  Even the sight of you for a few minutes has been like a glimpse of Elysium.”

“And I must return,” she said, “as I came—­with my love thrown back, my prayers unanswered, my sorrow redoubled.”

She hid her face in her hands and wept aloud.  Presently she bent forward.

“Norman,” she said, in a low whisper, “my darling, I appeal to you for my own sake.  I love you so dearly that I cannot live away from you—­it is a living death.  You cannot realize it.  There are few moments, night or day, in which your face is not before me—­few moments in which I do not hear your voice.  Last night I dreamed that you stood before me with outstretched arms and called me.  I went to you, and you clasped me in your arms.  You said, ’My darling wife, it has all been a mistake—­a terrible mistake—­and I am come to ask your pardon and to take you home.’  In my dream, Norman, you kissed my face, my lips, my hands, and called me by every loving name you could invent.  You were so kind to me, and I was so happy.  And the dream was so vivid, Norman, that even after I awoke I believed it to be reality.  Then I heard the sobbing of the waves on the beach, and I cried out, ‘Norman, Norman!’ thinking you were still near me; but there was no reply.  It was only the silence that roused me to a full sense that my happiness was a dream.  There was no husband with kind words and tender kisses.  I thought my heart would have broken.  And then I said to myself that I could live no longer without making an effort once more to change your decision.  Oh, Norman, for my sake, do not send me back to utter desolation and despair!  Do not send me back to coldness and darkness, to sorrow and tears.  Let me be near you!  You have a thousand interests in life—­I have but one.  You can live without love, I cannot.  Oh, Norman, for my sake, for my love’s sake, for my happiness’ sake, take me back, dear—­take me back!”

The golden head dropped forward and fell on his breast, her hands clung to him with almost despairing pain.

“I will be so humble, darling.  I can keep away from all observation.  It is only to be with you that I wish—­only to be near you.  You cannot be hard—­you cannot send me away; you will not, for I love you!”