Page 240 - The snake's pass

228 — the snake's pass. —
grow deeper and deeper, till her neck and all became
flushed with crimson. And then she put me aside, rose
uj), and with big brave eyes looked me full in the face
through all her deep embarrassment, and said to me :
" Arthur, of course I don't know much of the great
world, but I suppose it is not usual for a man to pay
for the schooling of a lady before she is his wife—what-
ever might be arranged between them afterwards. You
know that my dear father has no money for such a
purpose as we have spoken of, and so if you think it
is wiser, and would be less hardly spoken of in youT
family, I would marry you before I went—if—if you
wished it. But we would wait till after I came from
school to—to—to go to Italy," and whilst the flush
deepened almost to a painful degree, she put her hands
before her face and turned away.
Such a noble sacrifice of her own feelings and her
own wishes — and although I felt it in my heart of
hearts I am sure none but a woman could fully under-
stand it — put me upon my mettle, and it was with truth
I spoke :
" Norah, if anything could have added to my love
and esteem for you, your attitude to me in this matter
has done it. My darling, I shall try hard all my life to
be worthy of you, and that you may never, through any
act of mine, decline for a moment from the standard
you have fixed. God knows I could have no greater
pride or joy than that this very moment I should
call you my wife. My dear ! my dear ! I shall count