Martin Conisby

It being now late noon and very hot, I cast myself down in the shade of a rock, and lying there, I presently came to the following resolution, viz: To shun the woman Joanna's company henceforth as well as I might; moreover (and let her haunt me how she would) to heed her neither by word or look, bearing all her scorns and revilings patiently, making no answer, and enduring all her tyranny to the uttermost. All of which fine conceits were but the most arrant folly and quickly brought to nothing, as you shall hear. For even now as I sat with these high-flown notions buzzing in my head, I started to her sudden call: "Martino--Martino!"

Glancing up, I beheld her poised upon the rocks above me and a noose of small cord in her hand. As I watched, she began to whirl this around her head, fast and faster, then, uttering a shrill, strange cry, she let fly the noose the which, leaping through the air, took me suddenly about the throat and she, pulling on it, had me half-strangled all in a moment. Then as, choking, I loosed this devilish noose from me (and or ever I could rise) she came running and casting herself down before me, clasped my feet and laid her head upon them.

"Martino!" she cried, "Oh man, beat me an you will, trample on me, kill me; only heed me--heed me a little!"

Now seeing her thus miserably abject and humbled, I grew abashed also and fain would have loosed me from her clasp but she held me only the faster; and thus, my hand coming upon her head, she caught that hand and kissed it passionately, wetting it with her tears.

"Oh, Martino," said she, wofully a-sobbing, "I do know at last wherefore--I may not kill you. 'Tis because I love you. I was fool not to guess it ere this, but--I have never loved man ere now. Aye, I love you--I, Joanna, that never loved before, do love you, Martino--"

"What of your many lovers?"

"I loved no one of them all. 'Tis you ha' learned me--"

"Nay, this is no love--"

"Aye, but it is--in very truth. Think you I do not know it? I cannot sleep, I cannot eat--except you love me I must die, yes. Ah, Martino, be merciful!" she pleaded. "For thee I will be all woman henceforth, soft and tender and very gentle--thine always! Oh, be merciful--"

"No," I cried, "not this! Be rather your other self, curse me, revile me, fetch the sword and fight with me--"

"Fight thee--ah, no, no! The time for this is passed away. And if I did grieve thee 'twas but that I might cherish and comfort thee--for thou art mine and I thine henceforth--to death and beyond! Look, Martino! See how I do love thee!"