His arm fell about her
shoulders. She did not offer to remove it, but sat listless,
unresponsive, her eyes lifted to a narrow window beyond which the hot
sky gleamed.
He began by whispering words of encouragement and sympathy, his soul
in every syllable. She was so quiet, so hurt, so forlorn; never had
she been so precious to him as now.
"David," she interrupted, closing her eyes as if through faintness,
"it is so good of you to say these things to me, but--but--oh, can't
you see how impossible it is now? Don't stay here! Go away, David. Do
you think that I can marry you now? It was bad enough before--but now!
What am I that you should take me to be your wife! You must go away
and forget--"
Her drew her head to his breast, smothering the heartbroken cry by the
fierceness of his embrace.
"Open your eyes, Christine! Look at me." She looked up, utter
desolation in her eyes. "Nothing on earth can keep you from being my
wife--nothing! I couldn't give you up. What am I for, if not to
cherish and protect and comfort you? What is the real meaning of the
word 'love'? Husband! What does that stand for? A stone wall between
pain and peril and trouble; that's what it means.
Pages:
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506