"Dear trusting girl! would you indeed deprive yourself of all defenses

thus? But, my Nora, did you suppose when I took you to my bosom that I

had intrusted your peace and safety and honor only to a scrap of

perishable paper? No, Nora, no! Infidelity to you is forever impossible

to me; but death is always possible to all persons; and so, though I

could never forsake you, I might die and leave you; and to guard against

the consequences of such a contingency I surrounded you with every legal

security. The minister that married us resides in this county; the

witness that attended us lives with you. So that if to-morrow I should

die, you could claim, as my widow, your half of my personal property

and your life-interest in my estate. And if to-morrow you should become

impatient of your condition as a secreted wife, and wish to enter upon

all the honors of Bradenell Hall, you have the power to do so!"

"As if I would! As if it was for that I loved you! oh, Herman!"

"I know you would not, love! And I know it was not for that you loved

me! I have perfect confidence in your disinterestedness. And I hope you

have as much in mine."

"I have, Herman. I have!"

"Then, to go back to the first question, why did you wound me by saying,

that though I had married you, you knew you never could be owned as my

wife?"

"I spoke from a deep conviction! Oh, Herman, I know you will never

willingly forsake me; but I feel you will never acknowledge me!"

"Then you must think me a villain!" said Herman bitterly.

"No, no, no; I think, if you must have my thoughts, you are the

gentlest, truest, and noblest among men."

"You cannot get away from the point; if you think I could desert you,

you must think I am a villain!"

"Oh, no, no! besides, I did not say you would desert me! I said you

would never own me!"

"It is in effect the same thing."

"Herman, understand me: when I say, from the deep conviction I feel,

that you will never own me, I also say that you will be blameless."

"Those two things are incompatible, Nora! But why do you persist in

asserting that you will never be owned?"

"Ah, dear me, because it is true!"

"But why do you think it is true?"




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