"At whatever cost to myself--do you mean that? On your word of honour--may God strike you dead if you lie?"
"I do mean it. At whatever cost to yourself it is your duty to save your wife's life."
"You will remember what you have just said, '_At any cost to myself!_'"
"But there, what is the use of our talking like this. The duke will pay no attention to my appeal."
"You are wrong, he will pay every attention."
"Because I have a scheme in my brain that will make him."
"Later on, perhaps, not now; you must trust to my honour."
"Very good. Then it shall be done. I will put aside all thought of myself. I will do what you wish. I will sin--for, remember, it is a sin--to save the woman I love. And remember also, that whatever happens in the future, whatever comes of it, misery to me, or to her, it is your doing."
"I will remember, and if any thing _does_ come of it I will not only take the blame, but I will stand the punishment. Will you shake hands with me on it?"
"No, I will not. You have tempted me and I have fallen. God help me! After to-night we shall be no longer friends."
"I mean what I say. I have sinned before, perhaps in a worse way than this. But when I married I swore that nothing should ever tempt me to do so again. I have kept my word until to-night. To-night I sin deliberately, and in cold blood, for my wife's sake, God bless her!"
He raised his hat reverently as he spoke the last words. Then he sat down with the air of a man who had signed his own death-warrant, and asked:
"Leave it all to me. To-morrow morning I will go across to the island, call upon the Government Resident, who knows me well enough by this time, tell him your story under pledge of secrecy, and get him to cable to your father for the money."
"I think not. He believes in my honour. Have you any objection to my doing so?"
"I object to nothing. I am past that. Only make it as certain of success as you can. The end will come soon enough in any case."
"You take it in a curious way. Ellison, is there anything you are hiding from me?"
"Only--only the pain you are giving me. But I suppose that hardly enters into your calculations."
"Ellison, I forgive you; but a day will come when you will never forgive yourself for what you are saying now. Remember, I am doing this only for your sake. As I promised you just now, so I promise again, whatever blame is to be taken for this I will take, whatever punishment is meted out--if any--I will bear. I only ask in return that you will believe in the honesty of my affection for you."