
him. »You pretend to be contented, but I know that is impossible. You talk of
going back to a dull routine of toil, when what you most desire is freedom. I
want - if I can - to help you.«
    Again she failed to command her voice. Godwin raised his eyes, and was
astonished at the transformation she had suddenly undergone. Her face, instead
of being colourless and darkly vehement, had changed to a bright warmth, a
smiling radiance such as would have become a happy girl. His look seemed to give
her courage.
    »Only hear me patiently. We are such old friends - are we not? We have so
often proclaimed our scorn of conventionality, and why should a conventional
fear hinder what I want to say? You know - don't you? - that I have far more
money than I need or am ever likely to. I want only a few hundreds a year, and I
have more than a thousand.« She spoke more and more quickly, fearful of being
interrupted. »Why shouldn't I give you some of my superfluity? Let me help you
in this way. Money can do so much. Take some from me, and use it as you will -
just as you will. It is useless to me. Why shouldn't someone whom I wish well
benefit by it?«
    Godwin was not so much surprised as disconcerted. He knew that Marcella's
nature was of large mould, and that whether she acted for good or evil its
promptings would be anything but commonplace. The ardour with which she pleaded,
and the magnitude of the benefaction she desired to bestow upon him, so affected
his imagination that for the moment he stood as if doubting what reply to make.
The doubt really in his mind was whether Marcella had calculated upon his
weakness, and hoped to draw him within her power by the force of such an
obligation, or if in truth she sought only to appease her heart with the
exercise of generosity.
    »You will let me?« she panted forth, watching him with brilliant eyes. »This
shall be a secret for ever between you and me. It imposes no debt of gratitude -
how I despise the thought! I give you what is worthless to me, - except that it
can do you good. But you can thank me if you will. I am not above being
thanked.« She laughed unnaturally. »Go and travel at first, as you wished to.
Write me a short letter every month - every two months, just that I
