hind,
lifting her from her half-prone position of sorrowful rest. With a
terrified cry, she strove to free herself.

"Juliet, my love! my heart! be still, and let me speak," said Faber.
His voice trembled as if full of tears. "I can bear this no longer. You
are my fate. I never lived till I knew you. I shall cease to live when I
know for certain that you turn from me."

Juliet was like one half-drowned, just lifted from the water, struggling
to beat it away from eyes and ears and mouth.

"Pray leave me, Mr. Faber," she cried, half-terrified, half-bewildered,
as she rose and turned toward him. But while she pushed him away with
one hand, she unconsciously clasped his arm tight with the other. "You
have no right to come into my room, and surprise me--startle me so! Do
go away. I will come to you."

"Pardon, pardon, my angel! Do not speak so loud," he said, falling on
his knees, and clasping hers.

"Do go away," persisted Juliet, trying to remove his grasp. "What will
they think if they find us--you here. They know I am perfectly well."

"You drive me to liberties that make me tremble, Juliet. Everywhere you
avoid me. You are never to be seen without some hateful protector. Ages
ago I put up a prayer to you--one of life or death to me, and, like the
God you believe in, you have left it unanswered. You have no pity on the
sufferings you cause me! If your God _be_ cruel, why should you be cruel
too? Is not one tormentor enough in your universe? If there be a future
let us go on together to find it. If there be not, let us yet enjoy what
of life may be enjoyed. My past is a sad one--"

Juliet shuddered.

"Ah, my beautiful, you too have suffered!" he went on. "Let us be angels
of mercy to each other, each helping the other to forget! My griefs I
should count worthless if I might but erase yours."

"I would I could say the same!" said Juliet, but only in her heart.

"Whatever they may have been," he continued, "my highest ambition shall
be to make you forget them. We will love like beings whose only eternity
is the moment. Come with me, Juliet; we will go down into the last
darkness together, loving each other--and then peace. At least there is
no eternal hate in my poor, ice-cold religion, as there is in yours. I
am not suffering alone, Juliet. All whom it is my work to relieve, are
suffering from your unkindness. For a time I prided myself that I gave
every one of them as full attention as before, but I can not kee