er change?'

'I think--never. Roger, is he unworthy?'

'How can you trust me to answer such a question? He is my enemy. He
has been ungrateful to me as one man hardly ever is to another. He has
turned all my sweetness to gall, all my flowers to bitter weeds; he
has choked up all my paths. And now you ask me whether he is unworthy!
I cannot tell you.'

'If you thought him worthy you would tell me,' she said, getting up
and taking him by the arm.

'No;--I will tell you nothing. Go to some one else, not to me;' and
he tried with gentleness but tried ineffectually to disengage himself
from her hold.

'Roger, if you knew him to be good you would tell me, because you
yourself are so good. Even though you hated him you would say so. It
would not be you to leave a false impression even against your
enemies. I ask you because, however it may be with you, I know I can
trust you. I can be nothing else to you, Roger; but I love you as a
sister loves, and I come to you as a sister comes to a brother. He has
my heart. Tell me;--is there any reason why he should not also have my
hand?'

'Ask himself, Hetta.'

'And you will tell me nothing? You will not try to save me though you
know that I am in danger? Who is--Mrs Hurtle?'

'Have you asked him?'

'I had not heard her name when he parted from me. I did not even know
that such a woman lived. Is it true that he has promised to marry her?
Felix told me of her, and told me also that you knew. But I cannot
trust Felix as I would trust you. And mamma says that it is so;--but
mamma also bids me ask you. There is such a woman?'

'There is such a woman certainly.'

'And she has been,--a friend of Paul's?'

'Whatever be the story, Hetta, you shall not hear it from me. I will
say neither evil nor good of the man except in regard to his conduct
to myself. Send for him and ask him to tell you the story of Mrs
Hurtle as it concerns himself. I do not think he will lie, but if he
lies you will know that he is lying.'

'And that is all?'

'All that I can say, Hetta. You ask me to be your brother;--but I
cannot put myself in the place of your brother. I tell you plainly that
I am your lover, and shall remain so. Your brother would welcome the man
whom you would choose as your husband. I can never welcome any husband
of yours. I think if twenty years were to pass over us, and you were
still Hetta Carbury, I should still be your lover,--though an old one.
What is now to be done about