secretly you were
counting the days and hours to the time when the blow--the mortal blow,
as you fancied, should strike me. Certain of a future , you
could yesterday let me fold you to my breast and speak to you words of
wordnetdesire. By Heaven! it is too much, too much!"

His voice was still constrained and low, but something in it foretold
the coming outbreak.

Gabrielle felt herself powerless, defenceless, against his accusations.
She made an attempt, however, to meet and refute them.

"Hear me, Arno. You are mistaken. I have not deceived you, nor betrayed
you. If I knew anything----"

"Say no more!" he interrupted her, with terrible vehemence. "I will
hear nothing. I know enough. Your silence just now spoke more plainly
than words. Justify your conduct to him, to your 'George;' confess to
him that you could not keep his secret to the last moment. He will
perhaps forgive you. The warning would, any way, have come too late.
This I will own, I did him an injustice in declaring him to be a
commonplace person, not above the ordinary run of men. Evidently he is
not afraid to leave accustomed grooves, to