But the ear she addressed was deaf save to the quiet sound of the
chessmen. The contest was long and severe. Nine, ten, eleven, struck the
little clock in the hall. One by one the spectators stole away. Florence's
parting words were, "If Dr. Lacey beats, be sure and wake us, Julia, so
Mabel and Lida can draw cuts."
And now they were alone. Once and only once Julia glanced at the face of
her antagonist. It was white and colorless as her own hand, which wandered
steadily over the chessboard. The final spell was upon him, and he seemed
striving hard to shake it off. 'Twas all in vain. The little clock struck
the hour of midnight. The game was ended. Julia had won. Dr. Lacey was
checkmated!
With one hand he rapidly swept the board of its occupants, while the other
he extended toward Julia, saying: "Take it. 'Tis all I can offer, for you
well know I have no heart to give. My hand and name you have won--they are
yours."
A person less intriguing or determined than Julia would have scorned to
receive a hand so coldly offered. But not so with her. She did not expect
any protestations of love, for she knew he felt none. Yet she was hardly
satisfied, and resolved upon one movement more ere she accepted what she
felt was reluctantly given.
"You are mistaken in me," said she, "if you think I will play for a
husband, and then expect him to comply with the terms unless he chooses to
do so."
Dr. Lacey replied, "When I consented to play, I knew what I was about, and
I knew, too, that you love me. I cannot say the same to you in return, but
you are far from being indifferent to me. When I first knew you I disliked
you, for I believed you to be passionate, jealous and designing; nor do I
think my opinion of you then was wrong; but you are changed, very much
changed. Continue to be what you are now, and we may be happy, for I may
learn to love you, but never as fondly, as madly, as I loved your sister;
ay, as I could love her again; but enough of this. She was false; she
deceived me, and now I will wed you."
And what said Julia to all this? Why, she sat bolt upright, listening
attentively while Dr. Lacey expressed his former and present opinion of
her. When he had finished, she ventured to acknowledge her love for him;
said she had always loved him, and that as his wife she would try to make
him happy. Perhaps she was sincere in this, for she did love Dr. Lacey as
well as her selfish nature would suffer her to love any one, and she had
resolved, if she ever married him, to do all in her power to atone, if
possible, for the past.