sunken rocks, in his course, whose fault was it?  He was ready enough to steer his bark into the tranquil blue waters if only she would aid him.  I think that all his sins on this score were at this moment forgiven him.  He had told her now what to him would be green and beautiful, and she did not find herself able to disbelieve him.  She had banished M D out of her mind, but in doing so she admitted other reminiscences into it.  And then—­was she in a moment to be talked out of the resolution of years; and was she to give up herself, not because she loved, but because the man who talked to her talked so well that he deserved a reward?  Was she now to be as light, as foolish, as easy, as in those former days from which she had learned her wisdom?  A picture of green lovely things could be delicious to her eyes as to his; but even for such a picture as that the price might be too dear!  Of all living men—­of all men living in their present lives—­she loved best this man who was now waiting for some word of answer to his words, and she did love him dearly; she would have tended him if sick, have supplied him if in want; have mourned for him if dead, with the bitter grief of true affection;—­but she could not say to herself that he should be her lord and master, the head of her house, the owner of herself, the ruler of her life.  The shipwreck to which she had once come, and the fierce regrets which had thence arisen, had forced her to think too much of these things.  ‘Lily,’ he said, still facing towards the mirror, ’will you not come to me and speak to me?’ She turned round, and stood a moment looking at him, and then, having again resolved that it could not be as he wished, she drew near to him.  ’Certainly I will speak to you, John.  Here I am.’  And she came close to him.

He took both her hands, and looked into her eyes.  ’Lily, will you be mine?’

‘No; dear; it cannot be so.’

‘Why not, Lily?’

‘Because of that other man.’

‘And is that to be a bar for ever?’

‘Yes; for ever.’

‘Do you still love him?’

‘No; no, no!’

‘Then why should this be so?’

’I cannot tell, dear.  It is so.  If you take a young tree and split it, it still lives, perhaps.  But it isn’t a tree.  It is only a fragment.’

‘Then be my fragment.’

’So I will, if I can serve you to give standing ground to such a fragment in some corner of your garden.  But I will not have myself planted out in the middle, for people to look at.  What there is left would die soon.’  He still held her hands, and she did not attempt to draw them away.  ‘John,’ she said, ’next to mamma, I love you better than all the world.  Indeed I do.  I can’t be your wife, but you need never be afraid that I shall be more to another than I am to you.’

‘That will not serve me,’ he said, grasping both her hands till he almost hurt them, but not knowing that he did so.  ‘That is no good.’