But she returns to her inheritance the wife of the seeker! In a word, my Edith,--for why should I, who am now the master of your fate, forbear the style of a conqueror?
why should I longer sue, who have the power to command ?--you are _mine_,--mine beyond the influence of caprice or change,--mine beyond the hope of escape.

This village you will never leave but as a bride." So spoke the bold wooer, elated by the consciousness of successful villany, and perhaps convinced from long experience of the timorous, and doubtless, feeble, character of the maid, that a haughty and overbearing tone would produce an impression, however painful it might be to her, more favourable to his hopes than the soft hypocrisy of sueing.

He was manifestly resolved to wring from her fears the consent not to be obtained from her love.

Nor had he miscalculated the power of such a display of bold, unflinching energetic determination in awing, if not bending, her youthful spirit.

She seemed indeed, stunned, wholly overpowered by his resolved and violent manner; and she had scarcely strength to mutter the answer that rose to her lips: "If it be so," she faltered out, "this village, then, I must never leave; for here I will die, die even by the hands of barbarians, and die a thousand times, ere I look upon you, base and cruel man, with any but the eyes of detestation.