Sooner or later that shudder has to come.
Only while we are young do we believe that the reverse of love is hate.
We learn later, and that lesson we never forget, for love alone can teach it, that the reverse of love is egotism.

The egoist cannot love.
Can we endure that knowledge and go on loving?
Can we be faithful, tender, selfless to one who exacts all and gives nothing, who forgets us and grieves us, even as day by day we forget and grieve our unforsaking and faithful God?
Can we endure for love of man what God endures for love of us?
The duke's words came back to Michael.
"Why do you deceive yourself, my friend?
There is only one person for whom she has a permanent and deep affection--for her very charming self." He had thought of her as his wife for six months and four days.
Michael beat his manacled hands against the wall till they bled.

He broke his teeth against his chains.
If Fay had come in then he would have killed her, done her to death with the chains he had worn so patiently for her sake.
[Illustration: "IF FAY HAD COME IN THEN HE WOULD HAVE KILLED HER, DONE HER TO DEATH WITH THE CHAINS HE HAD WORN SO PATIENTLY FOR HER SAKE"] And that night the convict in the next cell, who had at times such wild outbursts of impotent rage when the boats went by, heard as he lay awake a low sound of strangled anguish, that ever stifled itself into silence, and ever broke forth anew, from dark to dawn..