nough:Iamnotcoldlikeacorpse,norvatlikeair,amI?”

    “Mylivingdarling!Thesearecertainlyherlimbs,andtheseherfeatures;butIotbesoblest,afterallmymisery.Itisadream;suchdreamsasIhavehadatnightwhenIhaveclaspedheroncemoretomyheart,asIdonow;andkissedher,asthus—ahatshelovedme,andtrustedthatshewouldnotleaveme.”

    “Whieverwill,sir,fromthisday.”

    “Neverwill,saysthevision?ButIalwayswokeandfounditaymockery;andIwasdesolateandabandoned—mylifedark,lonely,hopeless—mysoulathirstandforbiddentodrink—myheartfamishedaobefed.Gentle,softdream,linginmyarmsnow,youwillfly,too,asyoursistershaveallfledbeforeyou:butkissmebeforeyougo—embraceme,Jane.”

    “There,sir—andthere!”’

    Ipressedmylipstohisoncebrilliantandnowraylesseyes—Iswepthishairfromhisbrow,andkissedthattoo.Hesuddenlyseemedtoarousehimself:thevioftherealityofallthisseizedhim.

    “Itisyou—isit,Jane?Youareebaethen?”

    “Iam.”

    “Andyoudonotliedeadidersomestream?Andyouarenotapiningoutcastamongststrangers?”

    “No,sir!Iamanindepewomannow.”

    “Indepe!Whatdoyoumean,Jane?”

    “MyunMadeiraisdead,amefivethousandpounds.”

    “Ah!thisispractical—thisisreal!”hecried:“Ishouldneverdreamthat.Besides,thereisthatpeculiarvoiceofhers,soanimatingandpiquant,aswellassoft:itcheersmywitheredheart;itputslifeintoit.—What,Ja!Areyouanindepewoman?Arian?”

    “Ifyouwomelivewithyou,Ibuildahouseofmyowncloseuptoyourdoor,andyoumayeandsitinmyparlourwhenyouwantpanyofanevening.”

    “Butasyouarerich,Jane,youhavenow,nodoubt,frie