Shestillheldhim，andlookedeagerlyintohisface，withherhairdishevelledandhereyesallbloodshot。Shehadnothoughtnowofherself，nocarenowforherappearance；andyethethoughthehadneverseenherhalfsolovely；hewasamazedattheintensityofherbeauty，andcouldhardlybelievethatitwasshewhomhehaddaredtolove。’Promiseme，’
saidshe；’Iwillnotleaveyoutillyouhavepromisedme。’
’Iwill，’saidheatlength；’Ido——allIcando，Iwilldo。’
’ThenmayGodAlmightyblessyouforeverandever！’saidEleanor；andfallingonherkneeswithherfaceinMary’slap，sheweptandsobbedlikeachild:herstrengthhadcarriedherthroughherallottedtask，butnowitwaswellnighexhausted。
Inawhileshewaspartlyrecovered，andgotuptogo，andwouldhavegone，hadnotBoldmadeherunderstandthatitwasnecessaryforhimtoexplaintoherhowfaritwasinhispowertoputanendtotheproceedingswhichhadbeentakenagainstMrHarding。Hadhespokenonanyothersubject，shewouldhavevanished，butonthatshewasboundtohearhim；andnowthedangerofherpositioncommenced。Whileshehadanactiveparttoplay，whilesheclungtohimasasuppliant，itwaseasyenoughforhertorejecthisprofferedlove，andcastfromherhiscaressingwords；butnow——nowthathehadyielded，andwastalkingtohercalmlyandkindlyastoherfather’swelfare，itwashardenoughforhertodoso。