And then--Captain Danby hurried
into the room, saying you and Anthony were outside--in the hall. Then
we fled into Sir Geoffrey's study and--I think that is all?"
"Yes!" said I dully. "That is all!"
"And enough for one lifetime!" added Anthony. "No more secrets,
Loveliness!"
"Never any more, dear Anthony, though it was all for you that I
suffered, and Diana--my dear, dear Diana--kept silence and allowed you
to think--to--"
"God forgive me!" I groaned.
"I wasn't worth it, Babs!" exclaimed Anthony, kissing her; and then
his hand was upon my shoulder.
"What now, old fellow?"
"O Anthony, was there ever such a blind fool? Was ever angel of God so
cruelly misjudged? My noble Diana!" Hardly knowing what I did, I
turned and began to stumble along beside the brook, conscious only of
my most bitter remorse. And then a hand clasped mine, and turning to
the touch of these warm, vital fingers, "Diana," said I, "O Diana--"
"You know--at last, Peregrine?"
"I know that I dared to think you unworthy--doubted your sweet
purity--called you--wanton. And I--miserable fool--in my prideful
folly dreamed that in marrying you--mine was the sacrifice! Oh, I am
not fit to live--Diana--O Diana, can you forgive me?--All my life I
have been a failure!"
"Dear love, hush--oh, hush!" she sighed in weeping voice. But in the
extremity of my self-abasement, I knelt to kiss her hands, the hem of
her dress, her slender, pretty feet.
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