MYSTERY OF AMAGANSET. 341 



ed man ! Know you not that having left me to bear the 

 agony of that curse falsely was enough, but you must give 

 the foul name to her too ? Philip, I have it in my heart 

 to curse you. I know not whether I should pray God to- 

 night to damn you for your sin or no. I love you, I love 

 you, Philip, and I hate you too.' 



" She glared at him with her fierce black eyes, and he 

 was silent, but looked at her. 



" ' Aye, look at me your wreck, your ruin. See you 

 this cheek you kissed it, loved to kiss it. It will be food 

 for worms next spring. God knows if it be not next week ! 

 See these arms. How you loved their clasp, and yet you 

 wandered off from them, and sought embraces elsewhere, 

 and forgot them. What delights those were, oh Philip ! 

 Have you had such with this frail child ? Did you love 

 her, Philip ? I love her too, for this, that she loved you, 

 and was betrayed by you. Did she know that you had a 

 wife, or did she think her cheek the first that ever lay on 

 your breast ? Did you ever tell her of me ?' 



" She paused and glared at him more fiercely, and he 

 was silent still. Only a hoarse murmur as if he would 

 speak escaped his lips, but he had not yet spoken. 



" ' And yet I love you, Philip. I love you ! I that am 

 dying say it again, again. Dying oh God, is this life ! 

 I prayed just now for death, and now I pray to live, for I 

 have found him ! found him in the arms of another, but 

 what of that ! I would tear him out of the arms of an 

 angel and clasp him to my own heart to be as he is 

 mine my own. Philip, you have killed me. But but 

 but lay your head here once more, once more, my 

 husband !' 



" She reached her arms out to him, and he threw him- 

 self across the dead form of the French girl, into the em- 



