But it is not too late to give it over: take back the faith and troth which you could not plight to me without suffering abatement of honour--let what is passed be as if it had not been--forget me; I will endeavour to forget myself." "You do me injustice," said the Master of Ravenswood--"by all I hold true and honourable, you do me the extremity of injustice; if I mentioned the price at which I have bought your love, it is only to show how much I prize it, to bind our engagement by a still firmer tie, and to show, by what I have done to attain this station in your regard, how much I must suffer should you ever break your faith." "And why, Ravenswood," answered Lucy, "should you think that possible?
Why should you urge me with even the mention of infidelity?
Is it because I ask you to delay applying to my father for a little space of time?
Bind me by what vows you please; if vows are unnecessary to secure constancy, they may yet prevent suspicion." Ravenswood pleaded, apologised, and even kneeled, to appease her displeasure; and Lucy, as placable as she was single-hearted, readily forgave the offence which his doubts had implied.

The dispute thus agitated, however, ended by the lovers going through an emblematic ceremony of their troth-plight, of which the vulgar still preserve some traces.

They broke betwixt them the thin broad-piece of gold which Alice had refused to receive from Ravenswood.
"And never shall this leave my bosom," said Lucy, as she hung the piece of gold round her neck, and concealed it with her handkerchief, "until you, Edgar Ravenswood, ask me to resign it to you; and, while I wear it, never shall that heart acknowledge another love than yours." With like protestations, Ravenswood placed his portion of the coin opposite to his heart.

And now, at length, it struck them that time had hurried fast on during this interview, and their absence at the castle would be subject of remark, if not of alarm.

As they arose to leave the fountain which had been witness of their mutual engagement, an arrow whistled through the air, and struck a raven perched on the sere branch of an old oak, near to where they had been seated.