He put me in a deep chair and kneeling before me he chafed my hands, now
and again stopping to kiss them. I was grateful when the kettle suddenly
hissed and he stood up and said that for this once he was going to make
the tea. So many days and years I should make it for him, sitting
opposite to him and making the place where we were together Heaven by my
face.
When it was ready he poured it out and brought it to me. He fed me with
little pieces of hot teacake and other dainties. I took as long in
drinking the tea as possible, but it could not last for ever, and
finally he took the cup from me, put it down, and kneeling before me
again he put his arms about me.
Something in my being there alone with him, in his growing excitement,
suddenly frightened me out of my wits. With a cry I pushed him away from
me with both hands.
"Oh, don't!" I said; "don't you see I can't bear it? I hate it. Let me
go, please." And I struggled to be free of him.
He looked up at me with a dazed expression.
"But you are going to marry me in three days," he said. "I shall be your
husband. What was it you said? That you hated my caresses? You don't
mean it, Bawn?"
"I do mean it," I cried, with a frantic repulsion.
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