I could not--it is stronger than I am! It seems like a new horrible thing shown to me, which I never saw or thought of before! When it comes close to me I shudder at the thought--." "At what thought, Paolina?
At the thought of my being married to the Contessa Violante ?" asked Ludovico, looking steadfastly into her eyes.
She bore his gaze without withdrawing her sad, still eyes for awhile, thinking deeply before she answered.
"No, Ludovico; not at the thought of your being married to the Contessa Violante! That is a thought which may break my heart.

But it does not make me shudder, as that other thought does;--the thought of--of--- of loving one, who--who--who owes his love to another; the thought of taking by stealth whatever share of love may be given to me stolen from the rightful owner.

Never! never! never! Would you then be mine,--all mine, for ever, and ever, and ever! Oh, my love, my love! If you don't understand this, love has not opened your eyes as it has mine.

Do you think that I could endure the thought of being married to another man?
The bare notion is horror--horror--HORROR! Would I not rather die this minute; ay, or die a thousand times!" Again Ludovico got up from his chair and paced the room, sometimes stopping abruptly in apparently deep thought, and sometimes resuming his walk with every appearance of despair in his face and gestures.

It is needless to say that Paolina had spoken the very inmost truth that was in her heart in all its entirety; but she had also succeeded in making him feel that it was so.
There is often a feeling in a man's mind on such occasions--a feeling too closely allied to selfishness--which leads him to be dissatisfied with what seems to him the unwillingness of a woman to make sacrifices to her love.