"I never intended to do you the harm," said Mehalah passionately, and burst into tears. He listened to her sobbing with pleasure.
"You are sorry for me?"
"I am more than sorry. I am crushed with shame and grief for what I have done."
"You will love me now, Mehalah."
She shook her head and one of her tears fell on his hand; he raised his hand and put it to his eyes; then sighed. "I thought one such drop would have restored them whole as before. It would, had there been sweetness in it, but it was all bitter. There was only anger with self and no love for me. I must bide on in blackness." He put his hands on each side of her head, twisted his thumbs resting on her cheek-bones, and her unrestrained tears ran over them.
He stood quite still.
"This is the best medicine I could get," he said; "better nor all doctor's messes. To listen to your heart flowing over, to feel your warm tears trickle, does me good. In spite of everything, Glory! I must love you, and yet, Mehalah! I have every cause to hate you. I have made you, who were nothing, my wife, mistress of my house and estate, with a property and position above everyone else in Salcot and Virley, equal to any of the proud yeomen's wives on Mersea Isle. I have made a home for your mother, and in return you have plunged me in eternal night, and deny me your love."
"Let us not recriminate," said Mehalah through her tears, "or I should have enough to charge you with. I never sought to be your wife. You drove me into the position in spite of my aversion to it; in spite of all my efforts to escape. You have wounded me in a cruel and cowardly manner past forgiveness. You have ruined my life and all my prospects of happiness. George"
He shook her furiously.
"I will not listen to that name," he said through his teeth.
"You could bear to hold him in chains there below," she answered.
"You said. Let us not recriminate, and you pour a torrent of recriminations over me," he gasped. "If I have
