THE FIRST VOICE. No matter--she shall not go!
THE SECOND VOICE. In such a love can be no true happiness.
THE FIRST VOICE. However, she shall not leave me!
THE SECOND VOICE. How if at some future day, her eyes be opened to see
your love for the petty, selfish thing it is?
THE FIRST VOICE. She will be my wife!
THE SECOND VOICE. So God pity her.
THE FIRST VOICE. Come what will, she shall not leave me! I cannot,
will not part with her!
"Why, Peregrine!" exclaimed a sweet voice. "My dear--my dear, what is
it? Why do you sit here sighing with your dear head between your
hands--this head that I love so! Peregrine dear, what is it?"
She was beside me on her knees, had drawn my face upon her bosom, and
I thrilled to the soft caress of her mouth and the touch of her gentle
fingers in my hair. "Why are you so troubled, my Peregrine?"
"O Diana! Beloved, I imagined a foolish thing--that being far from me
you forgot our love--these dear Silent Places, and learned--to
love--some one more worthy--more generous--altogether better than I.
For Diana--I am--"
"My Peregrine!" she whispered passionately. "My brave lover that is so
fine a gentleman he don't know anything of evil and has treated me
always as if I was a proud lady--as if I was a very holy thing instead
of only a gipsy girl to be kissed and--and--oh, you are so
different--and so it is I love you--love you, worship you, and--all'us
shall, my Peregrine, and long and yearn to be a lady for your sake and
worthy of you--"
"O child," I whispered, "my Diana--hush! You don't know how vilely,
basely selfish I am really--"
"Never--ah, never say so, Peregrine, it hurts me.
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