You have only one friend to regret here," she continued, forcing a smile, "and she has been long accustomed to sacrifice her friendships and her comforts to the welfare of others.
In the world you will meet a hundred whose friendship will be as disinterested--more useful--less encumbered by untoward circumstances--less influenced by evil tongues and evil times." "Never!" I exclaimed, "never!--the world can afford me nothing to repay what I must leave behind me." Here I took her hand, and pressed it to my lips.
"This is folly!" she exclaimed--"this is madness!" and she struggled to withdraw her hand from my grasp, but not so stubbornly as actually to succeed until I had held it for nearly a minute.

"Hear me, sir!" she said, "and curb this unmanly burst of passion.

I am, by a solemn contract, the bride of Heaven, unless I could prefer being wedded to villany in the person of Rashleigh Osbaldistone, or brutality in that of his brother.

I am, therefore, the bride of Heaven,--betrothed to the convent from the cradle.

To me, therefore, these raptures are misapplied--they only serve to prove a farther necessity for your departure, and that without delay." At these words she broke suddenly off, and said, but in a suppressed tone of voice, "Leave me instantly--we will meet here again, but it must be for the last time." My eyes followed the direction of hers as she spoke, and I thought I saw the tapestry shake, which covered the door of the secret passage from Rashleigh's room to the library.