man can know the horror of that thought to a woman—­to any woman, good or bad.  To have one’s beauty turn to curse her and make her desirable only—­only as well-fed cattle are prized.  No matter how great the manifestation of such so-called love, it all the more repels a woman and adds to her loathing day by day.  Then there was something worse than all,”—­she was almost weeping now—­“I might have been able to bear the thought even of that hideous marriage—­others have lived through the like—­but—­but after—­that—­that day—­when you—­it seemed that your touch was a spark dropped into a heart full of tinder, which had been lying there awaiting it all these years.  In that one moment the flame grew so intense I could not withstand it.  My throat ached; I could scarcely breathe, and it seemed that my heart would burst.”  Here the tears gushed forth as she took a step toward him with outstretched arms, and said between her sobs:  “I wanted you, you! for my husband—­for my husband, and I could not bear the torturing thought of losing you or enduring any other man.  I could not give you up after that—­it was all too late, too late; it had gone too far.  I was lost! lost!”

He sprang to where she stood leaning toward him, and caught her to his breast.

She held him from her while she said:  “Now you know—­now you know that I would not have left you in that terrible place, had I known it.  No, not if it had taken my life to buy your freedom.”

“I do know; I do know.  Be sure of that; I know it and shall know it always, whatever happens; nothing can change me.  I will never doubt you again.  It is my turn to ask forgiveness now.”

“No, no; just forgive me; that is all I ask,” and her head was on his breast.

“Let us step out into the passage-way, Edwin,” said Jane, and we did.  There were times when Jane seemed to be inspired.

When we went back into the room Mary and Brandon were sitting in the window-way on his great cloak.  They rose and came to us, holding each other’s hands, and Mary asked, looking up to him: 

“Shall we tell them?”

“As you like, my lady.”

Mary was willing, and looked for Brandon to speak, so he said:  “This lady whom I hold by the hand and myself have promised each other before the good God to be husband and wife, if fortune ever so favor us that it be possible.”

“No, that is not it,” interrupted Mary.  “There is no ‘if’ in it; it shall be, whether it is possible or not.  Nothing shall prevent.”  At this she kissed Jane and told her how she loved her, and gave me her hand, for her love was so great within her that it overflowed upon every one.  She, however, always had a plenitude of love for Jane, and though she might scold her and apparently misuse her, Jane was as dear as a sister, and was always sure of her steadfast, tried and lasting affection.

After Mary had said there should be no “if,” Brandon replied: