I replied. "Surely you can
understand why?"

"I am afraid I do not," she answered, and as she did so she took a step
away from me, as if she were afraid of what she was going to hear.

"In that case there is nothing left but for me to tell you," I said, and
approaching her I took possession of the slender hand which rested upon
the back of the pew behind her. "I followed you, Valerie, because I love
you, and because I wished to guard you. Unhappily we have both of us the
best of reasons for knowing that we are in the power of a man who would
stop at nothing to achieve any end he might have in view. Did you hear
me say, Valerie, that I love you?"

From her beautiful face every speck of colour had vanished by this time;
her bosom heaved tumultuously under the intensity of her emotion. No
word, however, passed her lips. I still held her hand in mine, and it
gave me courage to continue when I saw that she did not attempt to
withdraw it.

"Have you no answer for me?" I inquired, after the long pause which had
followed my last speech. "I have told you that I love you. If it is not
enough I will do so again. What better place could be found for such a
confession than this beautiful old church, which has seen so many lovers
and has held the secrets of so many lives. Valerie, I believe I have
loved you since the afternoon I first saw you. But since I have known
you and have learnt your goodness that love has become doubly strong."

"I can not hear you," she cried, almost with a sob, "indeed, I can not.
You do not know what you are saving. You have no idea of the pain you
are causing me."

"God knows I would not give you pain for anything," I answered. "But now
you _must_ hear me. Why should you not? You are a good woman, and I am,
I trust, an honest man. Why, therefore, should I not love you? Tell me
that."

"Because it is madness," she answered in despair. "Situated as we are we
should be the last to think of such a thing. Oh, Mr. Forrester, if only
you had taken my advice, and had gone away from Naples when I implored
you to do so, this would not have happened."

"If I have anything to be thankful for it is that," I replied fervently.
"I told you then that I would not leave you. Nor shall I ever do so
until I know that your life is safe. Come, Valerie, you have heard my
confession, will you not be equally candid with me. You have always
proved yourself my friend. Is it possible you have nothing more than
friendship