lest he should read the
excess of joy in a glance. Her woman's instinct told her that during
this hour of danger she must hide her love in the depths of her heart.
Yet silence might prove equally dangerous, and Julie saw that Lord
Grenville was unable to utter a word. She went on, therefore, in a
gentle voice:

"You are touched by what I have said. Perhaps such a quick outburst
of feeling is the way in which a gracious and kind nature like yours
reverses a mistaken judgment. You must have thought me ungrateful when
I was cold and reserved, or cynical and hard, all through the journey
which, fortunately, is very near its end. I should not have been worthy
of your care if I had been unable to appreciate it. I have forgotten
nothing. Alas! I shall forget nothing, not the anxious way in which you
watched over me as a mother watches over her child, nor, and above
all else, the noble confidence of our life as brother and sister, the
delicacy of your conduct--winning charms, against which we women are
defenceless. My lord, it is out of my power to make you a return----"

At these words Julie hastily moved further away, and Lord Grenville made
no attempt to detain her. She went to a rock not far away, and there
sat motionless. What either felt remained a secret known to each alone;
doubtless they wept in silence. The singing of the birds about them,
so blithe, so overflowing with tenderness at sunset time, could only
increase the storm of passion which had driven them apart. Nature took
up their story for them, and found a language for the love of which they
did not dare to speak.

"And now, my lord," said Julie, and she came and stood before Arthur
with a great dignity, which allowed her to take his hand in hers. "I am
going to ask you to hallow and purify the life which you have given back
to me. Here, we will part. I know," she added, as she saw how white his
face grew, "I know that I am repaying you for your devotion by requiring
of you a sacrifice even greater than any which you have hitherto
made for me, sacrifices so great that they should receive some better
recompense than this.... But it must be... You must not stay in France.
By laying this command upon you, do I not give you rights which shall be
held sacred?" she added, holding his hand against her beating heart.

"Yes," said Arthur, and he rose.

He looked in the direction of d'Aiglemont, who appeared on the opposite
side of one of the hollow walks with the