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parole, and that the first sign of my endeavouring to escape
would cause me to be sent to one of the hospitals for incur-
ables. Besides, I did not know the geography of the country,
and even were I to try and find my way back, I should be dis-
covered long before I had reached the pass over which I had
come. How then could I hope to be able to take Arowhena
with me? For days and days I turned these difficulties over
in my mind, and at last hit upon as wild a plan as was ever
suggested by extremity. This was to meet the second diffi-
culty: the first gave me less uneasiness, for when Arowhena
and I next met after our interview in the garden I could see
that she had suffered not less acutely than myself.
I resolved that I would have another interview with her—
the last for the present—that I would then leave her, and
set to work upon maturing my plan as fast as possible. We
got a chance of being alone together, and then I gave myself
the loose rein, and told her how passionately and devotedly
I loved her. She said little in return, but her tears (which I
could not refrain from answering with my own) and the
little she did say were quite enough to show me that I should
meet with no obstacle from her. Then I asked her wheth-
er she would run a terrible risk which we should share in
common, if, in case of success, I could take her to my own
people, to the home of my mother and sisters, who would
welcome her very gladly. At the same time I pointed out that
the chances of failure were far greater than those of success,
and that the probability was that even though I could get
so far as to carry my design into execution, it would end in
death to us both.

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