MYSTERY OF AMAGANSET. 34 1 



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- 



