All that I ask is your acceptance of the utter self-sacrifice (but it shall be no sacrifice, to my great love) with which I seek to remedy the evil you have incurred for my sake!" All this fervor on Miriam's part; on Donatello's, a heavy silence.
"O, speak to me!" she exclaimed.

"Only promise me to be, by and by, a little happy!" "Happy ?" murmured Donatello.

"Ah, never again! never again!" "Never?
Ah, that is a terrible word to say to me!" answered Miriam.

"A terrible word to let fall upon a woman's heart, when she loves you, and is conscious of having caused your misery! If you love me, Donatello, speak it not again.

And surely you did love me ?" "I did," replied Donatello gloomily and absently.
Miriam released the young man's hand, but suffered one of her own to lie close to his, and waited a moment to see whether he would make any effort to retain it.