ul earnestness, that she
appeared to gather from it the final conviction that upon her answer
depended the future happiness or misery of our lives. I confess, for my
own part, that the pause which ensued, during which she almost
unconsciously repeated to herself, "Be the consequences what they may!"
was to me harrowing beyond expression. It seemed as if there was some
sinister influence at work to destroy us both; and that even the
immediate prospect of our union was not sufficient to allay the terror
that influence inspired, and into the causes and springs of which I now
began to imagine she had a clearer insight than I had previously
suspected. But I was steeped in a tumultuous passion, which would not
suffer me to investigate intervening difficulties. What the source of
her terror was I knew not; mine arose only from the apprehension of
losing her; and to have secured her at that moment, looking as she did,
in the agitation that gave such a wild lustre to her eyes, more lovely
than ever, I would have cheerfully relinquished every thing else in the
world. So far from being anxious to have the cause of her fears and
hesitation cleared up, I was in the utmost alarm lest she should enter
upon an explanation that might delay the consummation of my wishes. I
sought only an affirmative reply to my request, which, come what might,
would make her mine forever.

She loosened herself from my arm, and walked apart from me in silence.
This action, and the sort of panic it indicated, filled me with alarm.

"Astraea, you have not answered my question. What is the reason of your
silence?"

"Be the consequences what they may!" she reiterated. "I did not think of
that, but it is right I should. I should have thought of it before--I
did think of it; but of what avail, while I suffered myself to indulge
in a dream which that thought ought to have dispelled?"

"You speak in a language that is unintelligible to me; but there is no
time now for explanations. We must decide, Astraea, at once, for to-day
and forever. I only ask your explicit pledge. Let us reserve
explanations for hereafter."

"You say this in ignorance of what awaits you. I feel that I ought not
to make any pledge until--" and she hesitated again.

"If I am satisfied to take your pledge, and all consequences with it,
and to repay it with the devotion of my life, why, beloved Astraea,
should you hesitate? Let the responsibility fall on me--of that another
time. Every