some and vital young man--and number two:
That she was now certainly regretting that she was going to obtain her
divorce. Further use of Zadig's deductive method produced the
conviction that, as an abstract young man would be equally out of reach
were she still bound to her husband--or married to Lord Fordyce--and
could only be obtained were she divorced--some other reason for her
distaste and evident depression about this latter state coming to her
must be looked for, and could only be found in the supposition that the
Seigneur of Arranstoun might be himself her husband! Why, then, this
mystery? Why had not he and she told the truth? Zadig's counsel could
not help him to unravel this point, and he continued to pace the walk
with impatient sighs.

He was even more of a gentleman than of a priest, and therefore forbore
to question Sabine directly, but that afternoon, with the intention of
directing her mind into facing eventualities, he had talked of Lord
Fordyce, and what would be the duties of her future position as his
wife. Sabine replied without enthusiasm in her tones, while her words
gave a picture of all that any woman's heart could desire:

"He is a very fine character, it would seem," the Pere Anselme said.
"And he loves you with a deep devotion."

Sabine clasped her hands suddenly, as though the thought gave her
physical pain.

"He loves me too much, Father; no woman should be loved like that; it
fills her with fear."

"Fear of what?"

"Fear of failing to come up to the standard of his ideal of her--fear
of breaking his heart."

"I told him in the beginning it were wiser to be certain all cinders
were cold before embarking upon fresh ties," Pere Anselme remarked
meditatively, "and he assured me that he would ascertain facts, and
whether or no you felt he could make you happy."

"And he did," Sabine's voice was strained. "And I told him that he
could--if he would help me to forget--and I gave him my word and let
him--kiss me, Father--so I am bound to him irrevocably, as you can see."

"It would seem so."

There was a pause, and then the priest got up and held his thin brown
hands to the blaze, his eyes averted from her while he spoke.

"You must look to the end, my daughter, and ask yourself whether or no
you will be strong enough to play your part in the years which are
coming--since, from what I can judge, the embers are not yet cold.
Temptation will arm for you with increasing strength. What th