ndswhowilllookafteryou,andnotsufferyoutodevoteyourselftoablindlameterlikeme?”

    “ItoldyouIamindepe,sir,aswellasrich:Iammyownmistress.”

    “Andyouwillstaywithme?”

    “Certainly—unlessyouobject.Iwillbeyhbour,yournurse,yourhousekeeper.Ifindyoulonely:Iwillbeyourpanion—toreadtoyou,towalkwithyou,tositwithyou,towaitonyou,tobeeyesandhandstoyou.Ceasetolooksomelanydearmaster;youshalldesolate,solongasIlive.”

    Herepliednot:heseemedserious—abstracted;hesighed;hehalf-openedhislipsasiftospeak:heclosedthemagaialittleembarrassed.PerhapsIhadtoorashlyover-leapedventionalities;andhe,likeSt.John,sawimproprietyinmyinsiderateness.Ihadindeedmademyproposalfromtheideathathewishedandwouldaskmetobehiswife:aion,notthelesscertainbecauseunexpressed,hadbuoyedmeup,thathewouldclaimmeatonceashisown.Butnohinttothateffectesghimandhistenancebeingmoreovercast,IsuddenlyrememberedthatImighthavebeenallwrong,anderhapsplayingthefoolunwittingly;andIbegalytowithdrawmyselffromhisarms—butheeagerlysnatchedmecloser.

    “No—no—Jane;youmustnotgo.No—Ihavetouchedyou,heardyou,feltthefortofyourpresehesweetnessofyoursolation:Iotgiveupthesejoys.Ihavelittleleftinmyself—Imusthaveyou.Theworldmaylaugh—maycallmeabsurd,selfish—butitdoesnotsignify.Myverysouldemandsyou:itwillbesatisfied,oritwilltakedeadlyvengeasframe.”

    “Well,sir,Iwillstaywithyou:Ihavesaidso.”

    “Yes—butyouuahingbystayingwithme;andIuandanother.You,perhaps,akeupyourmindtobeaboutmyhandandchair—towaitonmeasakindlittlenurse(foryouhaveaionatehea