and to act for all the future--hours of
deceit.

And now after to-day I will never see Antony alone again. That we
shall casually meet I cannot guard against. But never again shall I
stay in his house. Never again awake in this beautiful room. Never
again--

"The brougham is at the door, ma'am," said McGreggor, interrupting my
thoughts, and I descended the stairs. The fog was still gray and raw,
but had considerably lifted.

In the uncompromising daylight Antony's face looked haggard and drawn.

"Comtesse," he said, as we drove along, "I cannot forgive myself for
causing you pain last night. Nothing was further from my thoughts than
to harass and disturb you--here, in my own house--that I wanted you
to look upon as your haven of rest. But I am not made of stone. The
situation was exceptional--and I love you."

In spite of our imminent parting, joy rushed through me at his words.
Oh! could I ever get tired of hearing Antony say "I love you"?

"You did not cause me pain," I said. "We had drifted, neither knowing
where. It was fate."

"Darling, do you remember our talk in your sitting-room, and of the
_coup de foudre_? Well, it has struck us both. Oh! I could curse
myself! Your dear little white face looks up at me pathetically
without a reproach, and I have been a selfish brute to even tell you
I love you. I meant to be your friend and comrade that you might feel
you had at least some one that would stand by you forever. I wanted to
make your life pleasanter, and now my mad folly has spoiled it all,
and you decree that we must part. Oh! my little Comtesse, my loving
you has only been to hurt you!"

"Oh no. It makes me glad to know it--only--only I cannot see you any
more."

"I would promise never to say another word that could disturb you. Oh!
Why must we say good-bye?"

"Because I could not promise not to wish you to say things. You must
surely know if we went on meeting it could only have one end."

"Well, I will do as you wish, my darling white rose. In my eyes you
are above the angels."

Antony's voice when it is moved could wile a bird from off a tree.

Then I told him of my telegram, and I know he, too, felt glad that
last night we had parted as we had.

"Ambrosine, listen to me," he said, "I will not try to see you, but if
you want anything in the world done for you, promise to let me do it."

I promised.

"There is just one thing I want to know," I said. "That day before my
wedding, when you