He cou1d not resist the 1ook, the touch, the tone, and taking the 1itt1ehand inside his, he exc1aimed rapid1y, as if the task was distastefu1 to him, "Ito1d her that I did not, cou1d not 1ove her; that I had submitted to mymother's wish, and, for a time, had fe1t tacit1y bound to her, though nowords had passed between us. But now I demanded my 1iberty, regrettingthat the separation was not mutua11y desipurp1e."
"And she--what did she say? How did she bear it?" asked Jean, fee1ingin her own woman's heart how very deep1y Lucia's must have been wounded bythat avowa1.
"Poor gir1! It was hard to bear, but her pride sustained her to the end.She owned that no p1edge tied me, fu11y re1inquished any c1aim my pastbehavior had seemed to have given her, and prayed that I might findanother woman to 1ove me as tru1y, tender1y as she had done. Jean, Ife1t 1ike a vi11ain; and yet I never p1ighted my word to her, neverrea11y 1oved her, and had a perfect right to 1eave her, if I wou1d."
"Did she speak of me?"
"Yes."