The Midnight Queen - Page 43/177

She made a desperate gesture, and turned to leave him, but he caught her

hand and held her fast.

"Never!" he cried, fiercely. "Say what you will! let that mask hide what

it may! I will never leave you till life leaves me!"

"Man, you are mad! Release my hand and let me go!"

"Madame, hear me. There is but one way to prove my love, and my sanity,

and that is--"

"Well?" she said, almost touched by his earnestness.

"Raise your mask and try me! Show me your face and see if I do not love

you still!"

"Truly I know how much love you will have for me when it is revealed. Do

you know that no one has looked in my face for the last eight years."

He stood and gazed at her in wonder.

"It is so, Mr. Ormiston; and in my heart I have vowed a vow to plunge

headlong into the most loathsome plague-pit in London, rather than ever

raise it again. My friend, be satisfied. Go and leave me; go and forget

me."

"I can do neither until I have ceased to forget every thing earthly.

Madame, I implore you, hear me!"

"Mr. Ormiston, I tell you, you but court your own doom. No one can look

on me and live!"

"I will risk it," he said with an incredulous smile. "Only promise to

show me your face."

"Be it so then!" she cried almost fiercely. "I promise, and be the

consequences on your own head."

His whole face flushed with joy.

"I accept them. And when is that happy time to come?"

"Who knows! What must be done, had best be done quickly; but I tell thee

it were safer to play with the lightning's chain than tamper with what

thou art about to do."

"I take the risk! Will you raise your mask now?"

"No, no--I cannot! But yet, I may before the sun rises. My face"--with

bitter scorn--"shows better by darkness than by daylight. Will you be

out to see, the grand illumination."

"Most certainly."

"Then meet me here an hour after midnight, and the face so long hidden

shall be revealed. But, once again, on the threshold of doom, I entreat

you to pause."

"There is no such word for me!" he fiercely and exultingly cried. "I

have your promise, and I shall hold you to it! And, madame, if, at last,

you discover my love is changeless as fate itself, then--then may I not

dare to hope for a return?"

"Yes; then you may hope," she said, with cold mockery. "If your love

survives the sight, it will be mighty, indeed, and well worthy a

return."

"And you will return it?"

"I will."

"You will be my wife?"