It was your beauty that
softened my rough heart, your spirit that made me dauntless, your
influence that raised me up so high. I have not dared to love you as
love is usually described, for they say that love without hope makes the
heart miserable, and my thoughts of you have made me more blessed than
I ever was before, and yet I hoped for nothing; but I have adored you
as I hardly dared to adore anything that was only human. I hardly know
why I should have had myself carried hither to tell you this, but I felt
that I should die more easily, when I had confessed to you the liberty
which my thoughts had taken with your image."
As he continued speaking, Agatha had risen from her seat, and she was
now kneeling at the foot of his bed, hiding her face between her hands,
and the tears were streaming fast down her cheeks.
"Tell me, Mademoiselle, that you forgive me," said he, "tell me that you
pardon my love, and above all, pardon me for speaking of it. I have now
but a few hours' breath, and in them I feel that I shall be but feeble;
but tell me that you forgive me, and, though dying, I shall be happy.
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