She could not resist pronouncing his name that once.
"I knew it! You loved me then. You love me now. What is the use of fighting against it, when we love each other so? Marion! Love! Ah God! At last!"
With a quick movement she sprang to her feet and stood back from him.
But in a moment it was past. With a gesture she kept him at arm's length.
"Is that your friendship?" she asked reproachfully.
"No, it is love," he answered almost roughly. "There is no friendship in it."
"And you talk of helping me!" she cried. "And at such a time as this, when I am weak, unstrung, you force it all upon me, and drag out what I have hidden so long. No, no! You do not love me. Go!"
"Not love you!" Again he tried to get near her. "God in heaven! Do not hurt me so!"
"No," she answered, still thrusting him back. "If you loved me you would help me, you would respect me, you would honour me, you would not try to drag me down."
He spoke very unsteadily, then turning his face from her he leaned upon the mantelpiece and watched the fire. A long pause followed. After awhile he looked up again and their eyes met.
"We must forget this morning," said Marion in her natural tone of voice. "We must say to ourselves that all this has never happened and we must believe it. Will you?"
"You ask too much," answered Brett looking away. "I cannot forget that I have said it--at last, after all these years."
"You must forget it. You must--must--for my sake."
"For your sake?" Still he looked away from her.
"Yes, for my sake," she repeated. "If you cannot forget, I can never look any one in the face again. Look at me, please," she said, laying her hand upon his arm. "Look into my eyes and tell me that you will not remember."
"For your sake I will try not to remember," he said slowly. "But I cannot promise yet," he added with sudden passion. "Oh no!"
"You will do your best. I know you will," said Marion, in a tone that was meant to express conviction. "Now go. And remember that I have forgotten."
"You are very kind," Brett answered with more humility than she had expected. "You are very good to me. I was mad for a moment. Forgive me. Try to forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive, for I remember nothing," said Marion with a faint smile.