And there, my lady, he repeated to her that he was not going to marry anybody, reminding her that he was already married to herself; and he explained that something would happen before morning, which would put all thoughts of marrying and giving in marriage out of the heads of all parties concerned.

And then he--" A groan of anguish burst from the almost breaking heart of the wretched bride, as she lifted a face convulsed and deathly white with her soul's great agony.
"My lady! oh, my lady!" exclaimed the woman, in much alarm.
"I heard it all! I heard it all!" cried Salome, as if speaking to herself and unconscious of the presence of a hearer.

"I heard it all! I heard it all! Yea! my own senses were witnesses of my own dishonor and despair!" she groaned, as she threw her arms and her head violently forward upon the table.
"My lady, for mercy's sake, my lady!" exclaimed the widow, standing up and bending over her.
"Oh, what a hell! what a hell is this world we live in! And what devils walk to and fro upon the earth!--devils beautiful and deceitful as the fallen archangel himself!" moaned Salome, all unconscious of the words.
"Ah, my dear lady, for goodness' sake, now don't talk so, that's a darling," coaxed the good woman.
"DO NOT HEED ME! Go on! go on! Give me the death-blow at once, and have done with it!" cried Salome, lifting her blanched and writhen face and wringing hands, and then dashing them down again.
The appalled visitor seemed stricken dumb.
"Go on, go on," moaned the poor bride in a half smothered tone.
"Lord help me! I have forgotten where I was! I wish it had befallen anybody but me to have this here hard duty to do! Where was I again?
Ah! under the balcony.

My lady, he told her to wait there for him until he came back.

And he went away, and was gone an hour or more.