xcitement had flushed her cheeks with a vivid crimson and
lighted her eyes with sparkling fire--she did not know that her beauty
was enhanced a thousand fold--she did not know that never in her life
had her presence kindled such a flame in the heart of her lover as it
did at that moment. And if he restrained himself from going to meet her,
it was the dread lest she should fade away from him as he had seen her
do so often. But she advanced and stood before him.

"Dr. Grimshaw!" she said, "I have come to make a last appeal to you! I
have come to beg, to supplicate you, for my sake, for honor, for truth
and for mercy's sake, yes! for heaven's sake, to withdraw your
pretensions to my poor hand. For, sir, I do not and cannot like you! I
do not say but that you are far too good and wise, and every way too
worthy for such a girl as I am--and that you do me the very greatest
honor by your preference, but still no one can account for tastes--and,
sir, I cannot like you--pray, pardon me! indeed, I cannot help it."

Although her words were so humble, her color was still heightened, and
her eyes had a threatening, defiant sparkle in them, so contradictory,
so piquant and fascinating in contrast with the little, fragile,
graceful, helpless form, that his head was almost turned. It was with
difficulty he could keep from snatching the fluttering, half-defiant,
half-frightened, bird-like creature to his bosom. But he contented
himself with saying:

"My fairy! we are commanded to love those that hate us; and should you
hate me more than ever, I should only continue to love you!"

"Love me at a distance, then! and the greater the distance, the more
grateful I shall be!"

He could no longer quite restrain himself. He seized her hand and drew
her towards him, exclaiming in an eager, breathless, half-whisper:

"No! closer and closer shall my love draw us, beautiful one! until it
compasses your hate and unites us forever!"

With a half-suppressed cry she wrung her hand from his grasp and
answered, wildly:

"I sought your presence to entreat you--and to warn you! I have
supplicated you, and you have turned a deaf ear to my prayer! Now I warn
you! and disregard my warning, if you dare! despise it at your peril! I
am going out of my wits, I think! I warn you that I may consent to
become your wife! I have no persevering resistance in my nature. I
cannot hold out forever against those I love. But I warn you, that if
ever I consent, it wi