“But, sir, this is a bargain, I should say, which you propose?”

“Yes, indeed!  And, that there may be no misunderstanding, I will mention the precise terms:  if you will swear to be kind to Henrietta during my absence, to protect her against violence on the part of her father, and never to force her to act contrary to her sentiments for me, I will give you, in return, my word that I shall give up to you, without dispute and without reserve, the whole immense fortune possessed by Count Ville-Handry.”

Succumbing to her grief, Miss Brandon seemed to be almost fainting; and big tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Have I not yet been humiliated sufficiently?” she said in a low voice.  “Must you add shame to shame?  Daniel, you think I am very mean.”

And, checking the sobs which impeded her words, she went on,—­

“And yet I cannot blame you for it, I cannot.  No, you are right!  Every thing is against me; every thing bears witness against me.  Yes, I must appear a very wicked girl in your eyes.  If you knew the truth, however, Daniel—­if I could, if I dared, tell you all!”

She drew nearer to him, all trembling; and then continued in a still lower tone of voice, as if she feared to be overheard,—­

“Do you not understand yet that I am no longer my own?  Unfortunate as I am, they have taken me, bound me, fettered me.  I have no longer the right to have a will of my own.  If they say, ‘Do this!’ I must needs do it.  What a life I lead!  Great God!  Ah, if you had been willing, Daniel!  If you were willing even now!”

She became excited almost to exaltation; her eyes, moist with tears, shone with matchless splendor; passing blushes colored her face; and her voice had strange, weird vibrations.

Was she forgetting herself?  Was she really about to betray her secret? or was she merely inventing a new falsehood?  Why should he not let her go on?

“That is no answer, Miss Brandon,” at last said Daniel.  “Will you promise me to protect Henrietta?”

“Do you really love her so dearly, your Henrietta?”

“Better than life!”

Miss Brandon turned as white as the lace on her dress; a flash of indignation shot through her eyes; and, drying her tears, she said curtly,—­

“Oh!”

Then Daniel replied,—­

“You will give me no answer, madam?”

And, as she persisted in her silence, he resumed,—­

“Very well, then, I understand.  You declare open war.  Be it so!  Only listen to me carefully.  I am setting out on a dangerous expedition, and you hope I shall never return.  Undeceive yourself, Miss Brandon; I shall return.  With a passion like mine, with so much love in one’s heart, and so much hatred, a man can defy every thing.  The murderous climate will not touch me; and, if I had ten rifle-balls in my body, I should still have the strength to return, and hold you to an account for what you have done to Henrietta.  And if you have touched a hair on her head, if you have made her shed a single tear, by all that is holy, it will bring ill luck to you, and ill luck to others!”