"Peregrine dear, your--your
mistake was very natural; you saw me--at Raydon Manor--"
"I should have disbelieved my eyes!"
"And I could not explain for Anthony and Barbara's sakes. And when I
could have explained I would not, because I wished you to--yes,
dear--to suffer--just a little--and because I wished to see if you
were brave enough to forgive your Diana--lift her from shame and
dishonour to--to the secure haven of--your love. And you were brave
enough and--now, oh, now I'm crying--and I hate to cry, Perry--but
it's only because I do love you so much more than I can ever say--so
don't--don't kneel to me, beloved--come to my heart!"
So she stooped and raised me to the comfort of her gentle arms, to the
haven of her fragrant mouth.
And thus the dead was buried at last, mountains deep, and my hateful
demons vanished utterly away for ever and for ever.
"You would always have been mine, Diana!"
"And so it is I love you, Peregrine! And so it is I am yearning to be
your wife--and yet here we stay and our guests all gone--"
"Gone?" I exclaimed.
"I told them we would follow--in Jerry's cart. Shall you mind riding
to your wedding in a tinker's cart, dear?"
"My wise Diana, I love its every spoke and timber for your sake, so
could there never be any other chariot of any age, on four wheels or
two, so proper to bear us to our happiness, my clever Gipsy-Lady.
Come, dear, hurry--for I am longing, aching to hear you call me
'husband.
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