The walk had been long and laborious; but only in such
clambering and toiling, such expenditure of muscular force and latent
heat, could the man's restless soul endure those long hours of suspense.
'How will she answer me? Oh, my God! how will she answer?' he said
within himself, as he walked up the romantic winding road, which made so
picturesque an approach to Lady Maulevrier's domain, 'Is my idol gold or
clay? How will she come through the crucible? Oh, dearest, sweetest,
loveliest, only be true to the instinct of your womanhood, and my cup
will be full of bliss, and all my days will flow as sweetly as the
burden of a song. But if you prove heartless, if you love the world's.
wealth better than you love me--ah! then all is over, and you and I are
lost to each other for ever. I have made up my mind.'
His face settled into an expression of indomitable determination, as of
a man who would die rather than be false to his own purpose. There was
no glow of hope in his heart. He had no deep faith in the girl he loved;
indeed in his heart of hearts he knew that this being to whom he had
trusted his hopes of bliss was no heroine.
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