indeed, for
Rochester to maintain his self-control.

"Pauline," he said, "I cannot stand by and see your life wrecked. You
are too sane, too reasonable a woman to become the prey of such a
pitiful adventurer. Won't you listen to me for a moment?"

"Indeed I am listening," she faltered.

"Give yourself a chance," he begged. "Leave England this
week--to-morrow, if you can. Go right away from here. You have friends
in Rome. I heard your cousin ask you not long ago to pay her a visit
at her villa on the Adriatic. Start to-morrow, and I promise that you
will come back a sane woman. You will be able to laugh at Saton, to
see through the fellow, and to realise what a tissue of shams he's
built of. You will be able to feel a reasonable interest in anything
Naudheim has to say. Just now you are unnerved, these men have
frightened you. Believe me that your greatest and most effectual
safety lies in flight."

A sudden hope lit up her face. She turned towards him eagerly. She was
going to consent--he felt it, he was almost conscious of the words
trembling upon her lips. Already his own personal regrets at her
absence were beginning to cloud his joy. Then her whole expression
changed. Something of the look settled upon her features which he had
seen when first she had stopped the carriage. Her lips were parted,
her eyes distended. She looked nervously around as though she were
afraid that some one was following them.

"I cannot do that, Henry," she said. "In a way it would be a relief,
but it is impossible. I cannot, indeed."

She led the way to the carriage. They walked in absolute silence for
nearly a minute. He felt that he had lost a great part of his
influence over her and he was bitter.

"Tell me why you almost consented," he asked, abruptly, "and then
changed your mind? In your heart you must know that it is for your
good."

"I only know," she answered, slowly, "that at first I longed to say
yes, and now, when I come to think of it, I see that it is
impossible."

"You are going to allow yourself, then, to be the prey of these morbid
fancies? You are going to treat this creature as a human being of your
own order? You are going to let him work upon your imagination?"

"It is no use," she said wearily. "For the present, I cannot talk any
more about it. I do not understand myself at all."

They stood for a moment by the carriage.

"We shall meet to-night," he reminded her.

She gave him a doubtful little smile.