“I expected to see her cower before me.  Conceive, then, if you can, my sensations when she cried, ’Stop, madam!  Say what you will to me; insult, outrage me, if you please, and have not the good breeding and dignity to forbear; but do not presume to so slander him.  Do not presume to accuse him, who is all nobility and greatness of soul, of a sentiment so base, a prejudice so infamous.  Study him, madam, know him better, ere you attempt to be his mouth-piece.’

“As she uttered these words, a horrible foreboding seized me, or, to speak more truthfully, I so felt the certainty of what she spoke, that a shudder of terror ran over me.  I thought of him, of his character, of his principles, of his insane sense of honor, of his terrible will under all that soft exterior,—­the hand of steel under the silken glove; I saw that if I persisted and she still refused to yield I should lose all.  On the instant I changed my attack.

“‘It is true,’ I said, ’having asked you to become his wife, he will marry you; he will redeem his pledge though it ruin his life and blast his career, to say nothing of the effect an unending series of outrages and mortifications will have upon his temper and his heart.  A pretty love, truly, yours must be,—­whatever his is,—­to condemn him to so terrible an ordeal, so frightful a fate.’

“She shivered at that, and I went on,—­blaming my folly in not remembering, being a woman, that it was with a woman and her weakness I had to deal.

“‘He is young,’ I continued; ’he has probably a long life before him.  Rich, handsome, brilliant,—­a magnificent career opening to him,—­position, ease, troops of friends,—­you will ruthlessly ruin all this.  Married to you, white as you are, the peculiarity of your birth would in some way be speedily known.  His father would disinherit him (it was not necessary to tell her he has a fortune in his own right), his family disown him, his friends abandon him, society close its doors upon him, business refuse to seek him, honor and riches elude his grasp.  If you do not know the strength of this prejudice, which you call infamous, pre-eminently in the circle to which he belongs, I cannot tell it you.  Taking all this from him, what will you give him in return?  Ruining his life, can your affection make amends?  Blasting his career, will your love fill the gap?  Do you flatter yourself by the supposition that you can be father, mother, relatives, friends, society, wealth, position, honor, career,—­all,—­to him?  Your people are cursed in America, and they transfer their curse to any one mad enough, or generous enough (that was a diplomatic turn), to connect his fate with yours.’

“Before I was through, I saw that I had carried my point.  All the fine airs went out of my lady, and she looked broken and humbled enough.  I might have said less, but I ached to say more to the insolent.

“‘Enough, madam,’ she gasped, ‘stop.’  And then said, more to herself than to me, ’I could give heaven for him,’—­the rest I rather guessed from the motion of her lips than from any sound,—­’but I cannot ask him to give the world for me.’