You will go away with us, away from London
to a safe place. Maud is going to be married to-morrow, and we will
live with her in her new home. You have suffered dreadfully; you
look so changed, so ill. You shall rest, and I will nurse you. Oh, I
will be a good wife to you, Paul. Speak to me, do speak to me: speak
kindly, dear! How long is it since I lost you?"
"I daren't stay, Emily," he replied, in a hoarse and broken voice.
"I should be discovered. I must get away from England, that is my
only chance. I have scarcely left the house where I was hiding all
this time. It wouldn't have been safe to try and escape, even if I
had had any money. I have hungered for days, and I am weaker than a
child."
He sobbed again in the extremity of his wretchedness.
"It was all for my sake!" she cried, clinging around his neck. "I am
your curse. I have brought you to ruin a second time. I am a bad,
wretched woman; if you drove me from you with blows it would be less
than I deserve! You can never forgive me; but let me be your slave,
let me suffer something dreadful for your sake! Why did I ever
recover from my madness, only to bring that upon you!"
He could speak little, but leaned back, holding her to him with one
arm.
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