not to drive home to it. All the encumbrance of doubt, all the rubbish of indecision must be removed at once, and the plain truth must be ascertained. She must take her part, and tell me what it was. I must take mine, and adhere to it.'
"'A minute, madam,' I said, keeping my hand on the door-handle before I opened it. 'We have had a long conversation this morning, but the last word has not been spoken yet: it is yours to speak it.'
"'May I pass?'
"'No. I guard the door. I would almost rather die than let you leave me just now, without speaking the word I demand.'
"'What dare you expect me to say?'
"'What I am dying and perishing to hear; what I must and will hear; what you dare not now suppress.'
"'Mr. Moore, I hardly know what you mean: you are not like yourself.'
"I suppose I hardly was like my usual self, for I scared her; that I could see: it was right; she must be scared to be won.
"'You do know what I mean, and for the first time I stand before you myself. I have flung off the tutor, and beg to introduce you to the man: and, remember, he is a gentleman.'
"She trembled. She put her hand to mine as if to remove it from the lock; she might as well have tried to loosen, by her soft touch, metal welded to metal. She felt she was powerless, and receded; and again she trembled.
"What change I underwent, I cannot explain; but out of her emotion passed into me a new spirit. I
