`Neveragain，Helen？justwhenIloveyoumorethanever！’
　　`Forthatveryreason，ifitbeso，weshouldnotmeetagain。
　　Ithoughtthisinterviewwasnecessary——atleast，Ipersuadedmyselfitwasso——thatwemightseverallyaskandreceiveeachother’spardonforthepast；buttherecanbenoexcuseforanother。Ishallleavethisplace，assoonasIhavemeanstoseekanotherasylum；butourintercoursemustendhere。’
　　`Endhere！’echoedI；andapproachingthehigh，carvedchimney-piece，Ileantmyhandagainstitsheavymouldings，anddroppedmyforeheaduponitinsilent，sullendespondency。
　　`Youmustnotcomeagain，’continuedshe。Therewasaslighttremorinhervoice，butIthoughtherwholemannerwasprovokinglycomposed，consideringthedreadfulsentenceshepronounced。`YoumustknowwhyI
　　tellyouso，’sheresumed；`andyoumustseethatitisbettertopartatonce：——ifitbehardtosayadieuforever，yououghttohelpme。’Shepaused。Ididnotanswer。`Willyoupromisenottocome？——Ifyouwon’t，andifyoudocomehereagain，youwilldrivemeawaybeforeIknowwheretofindanotherplaceofrefuge——orhowtoseekit。’
　　`Helen，’saidI，turningimpatientlytowardsher，`Icannotdiscussthematterofeternalseparation，calmlyanddispassionatelyasyoucando。Itisnoquestionofmereexpediencewithme；itisaquestionoflifeanddeath！’
　　Shewassilent。Herpalelipsquivered，andherfingerstrembledwithagitation，asshenervouslyentwinedtheminthehairchaintowhichwasappendedhersmallgoldwatch——theonlythingofvalueshehadpermittedherselftokeep。Ihadsaidanunjustandcruelthing；butImustneedsfollowitupwithsomethingworse。
　　`ButHelen！’Ibeganinasoft，lowtone，notdaringtoraisemyeyestoherface——`thatmanisnotyourhusband：inthesightofHeavenhehasforfeitedallclaimto——’Sheseizedmyarmwithagraspofstartlingenergy。
　　`Gilbert，don’t！’shecried，inatonethatwouldhavepiercedaheartofadamant。`ForGod’ssake，don’tyouattemptthesearguments！Nofiendcouldtorturemelikethis！’
　　`Iwon’t，Iwon’t！’saidI，gentlylayingmyhandonhers；almostasmuchalarmedathervehemence，asashamedofmyownmisconduct。
　　`Insteadofactinglikeatruefriend，’continuedshe，breakingfrommeandthrowingherselfintotheoldarmchair——`andhelpingmewithallyourmight——orrathertakingyourownpartinthestruggleofrightagainstpassion——youleavealltheburdentome；——andnotsatisfiedwiththat，youdoyourutmosttofightagainstme——whenyouknowthatI——’
　　Shepaused，andhidherfaceinherhandkerchief。
　　`Forgiveme，Helen！’pleadedI，`Iwillneverutteranotherwordonthesubject。Butmaywenotstillmeetasfriends？’
　　`Itwillnotdo，’shereplied，mournfullyshakingherhead；andthensheraisedhereyestomine，withamildlyreproachfullookthatseemedtosay，`YoumustknowthataswellasI。’
　　`Thenwhatmustwedo？’criedI，passionately。ButimmediatelyIaddedinaquietertone——`I’lldowhateveryoudesire；——onlydon’tsaythatthismeetingistobeourlast。’
　　`Andwhynot？Don’tyouknowthateverytimewemeet，thethoughtsofthefinalpartingwillbecomemorepainful？Don’tyoufeelthateveryinterviewmakesusdearertoeachotherthanthelast？’
　　Theutteranceofthislastquestionwashurriedandlow，andthedowncasteyesandburningblushtooplainlyshowedthatshe，atleast，hadfeltit。Itwasscarcelyprudenttomakesuchanadmission，ortoaddsshepresentlydid——`Ihavepowertobidyougo，now：anothertimeitmightbedifferent，’——butIwasnotbaseenoughtoattempttotakeadvantageofhercandour。
　　`Butwemaywrite，’Itimidlysuggested——`Youwillnotdenymethatconsolation？’
　　`Wecanhearofeachotherthroughmybrother。’
　　`Yourbrother！’Apangofremorseandshameshotthroughme。Shehadnotheardoftheinjuryhehadsustainedatmyhands；andIhadnotthecouragetotellher。`Yourbrotherwillnothelpus，’Isaid：`hewouldhaveallcommunionbetweenustobeentirelyatanend。’
　　`Andhewouldberight，Isuppose。Asafriendofboth，hewouldwishusbothwell；andeveryfriendwouldtellusitwasourinterest，aswellasourduty，toforgeteachother，thoughwemightnotseeitourselves。
　　Butdon’tbeafraid，Gilbert，’sheadded，smilingsadlyatmymanifestdiscomposure，`thereislittlechanceofmyforgettingyou。ButIdidnotmeanthatFrederickshouldbethemeansoftransmittingmessagesbetweenus，onlythateachmightknow，throughhim，oftheother’swelfare；——andmorethanthisoughtnottobe；foryouareyoung，Gilbert，andyououghttomarry——andwillsometime，thoughyoumaythinkitimpossiblenow：——andthoughIhardlycansayIwishyoutoforgetme，Iknowitisrightthatyoushould，bothforyourownhappinessandthatofyourfuturewife；——andthereforeImustandwillwishit，’sheaddedresolutely。
　　`Andyouareyoungtoo，Helen，’Iboldlyreplied，`andwhenthatprofligatescoundrelhasrunthroughhiscareer，youwillgiveyourhandtome——I’llwaittillthen。’
　　Butshewouldnotleavemethissupport。Independentlyofthemoralevilofbasingourhopesuponthedeathofanother，who，ifunfitforthisworld，wasatleastnolesssoforthenext，andwhoseameliorationwouldthusbecomeourbaneandhisgreatesttransgressionourgreatestbenefit，——shemaintainedittobemadness：manymenofMr。Huntingdon’shabitshadlivedtoaripethoughmiserableoldage；——`andifI，’saidshe，`amyounginyearsIamoldinsorrow；buteveniftroubleshouldfailtokillmebeforevicedestroyshim，think，ifhereachedbutfiftyyearsorso，wouldyouwaittwentyorfifteen——invagueuncertaintyandsuspense——throughalltheprimeofyouthandmanhood——andmarryatlastawomanfadedandwornasIshallbe——withouteverhavingseenmefromthisdaytothat？——Youwouldnot，’shecontinued，interruptingmyearnestprotestationsofunfailingconstancy，——`orifyouwouldyoushouldnot。
　　Trustme，Gilbert；inthismatterIknowbetterthanyou。Youthinkmecoldandstonyhearted，andyoumay，but——’
　　`Idon’tHelen。’
　　`Well，nevermind；youmightifyouwould——butIhavenotspentmysolitudeinutteridleness，andIamnotspeakingnowfromtheimpulseofthemomentasyoudo：Ihavethoughtofallthesemattersagainandagain；Ihavearguedthesequestionswithmyself，andponderedwellourpast，andpresent，andfuturecareer；and，believeme，Ihavecometotherightconclusionatlast。Trustmywordsratherthanyourownfeelings，now，andinafewyearsyouwillseethatIwasright——thoughatpresentIhardlycanseeitmyself，’shemurmuredwithasighassherestedherheadonherhand——`Anddon’targueagainstmeanymore：allyoucansayhasbeenalreadysaidbymyownheartandrefutedbymyreason。Itwashardenoughtocombatthosesuggestionsastheywerewhisperedwithinme；
　　inyourmouththeyaretentimesworse，andifyouknewhowmuchtheypainmeyouwouldceaseatonce，Iknow。Ifyouknewmypresentfeelings，youwouldeventrytorelievethemattheexpenseofyourown。
　　`Iwillgoonaminute，ifthatcanrelieveyou——andNEVER
　　return！’saidIwithbitteremphasis——`But，ifwemaynevermeet，andneverhopetomeetagain，isitacrimetoexchangeourthoughtsbyletter？
　　Maynotkindredspiritsmeet，andmingleincommunionwhateverbethefateandcircumstancesoftheirearthlytenements？’
　　`Theymay，theymay！’criedshewithamomentaryburstofgladenthusiasm。`Ithoughtofthattoo，Gilbert，butIfearedtomentionit，becauseIfearedyouwouldnotunderstandmyviewsuponthesubject——I
　　fearitevennow——Ifearanykindfriendwouldtelluswearebothdeludingourselveswiththeideaofkeepingupaspiritualintercoursewithouthopeorprospectofanythingfurther——withoutfosteringvainregretsandhurtfulaspirations，andfeedingthoughtsthatshouldbesternlyandpitilesslylefttoperishofinanition——’
　　`Nevermindourkindfriends：iftheycanpartourbodies，itisenough；inGod’sname，letthemnotsunderoursouls！’criedI，interrorlestsheshoulddeemitherdutytodenyusthislastremainingconsolation。
　　`Butnoletterscanpassbetweenushere，’saidshe，`withoutgivingfreshfoodforscandal；andwhenIdeparted，Ihadintendedthatmynewabodeshouldbeunknowntoyouastotherestoftheworld；notthatIshoulddoubtyourwordifyoupromisednottovisitme，butIthoughtyouwouldbemoretranquilinyourownmindifyouknewyoucouldnotdoit；andlikelytofindlessdifficultyinabstractingyourselffrommeifyoucouldnotpicturemysituationtoyourmind。Butlisten，’saidshe，smilinglyputtingupherfingertocheckmyimpatientreply：`insixmonthsyoushallhearfromFrederickpreciselywhereIam；andifyoustillretainyourwishtowritetome，andthinkyoucanmaintainacorrespondenceallthought，allspirit——suchasdisembodiedsoulsorunimpassionedfriends，atleast，mighthold，——write，andIwillansweryou。’
　　`Sixmonths！’
　　`Yes，togiveyourpresentardourtimetocoolandtrythetruthandconstancyofyoursoul’sloveformine。Andnow，enoughhasbeensaidbetweenus——Whycan’twepartatonce！’exclaimedshealmostwildly，afteramoment’spause，asshesuddenlyrosefromherchairwithherhandsresolutelyclaspedtogether。Ithoughtitwasmydutytogowithoutdelay；andIapproachedandhalfextendedmyhandasiftotakeleave；shegraspeditinsilence。
　　Butthisthoughtoffinalseparationwastoointolerable：itseemedtosqueezethebloodoutofmyheart；andmyfeetweregluedtothefloor。
　　`Andmustwenevermeetagain？’Imurmuredintheanguishofmysoul。
　　`WeshallmeetinHeaven。Letusthinkofthat，’saidsheinatoneofdesperatecalmness；buthereyesglitteredwildly，andherfacewasdeadlypale。
　　`Butnotaswearenow，Icouldnothelpreplying。`ItgivesmelittleconsolationtothinkIshallnextbeholdyouasadisembodiedspirit，oranalteredbeing，withaframeperfectandglorious，butnotlikethis！——andaheart，perhaps，entirelyestrangedfromme。
　　`NoGilbert，thereisperfectloveinHeaven！’
　　`Soperfect，Isuppose，thatitsoarsabovedistinctions，andyouwillhavenoclosersympathywithmethanwithanyoneofthetenthousandthousandangels’andtheinnumerablemultitudeofhappyspiritsroundus。’
　　`WhateverIam，youwillbethesame，andtherefore，cannotpossiblyregretit；andwhateverthatchangemaybe，weknowitmustbeforthebetter。’
　　`ButifIamtobesochangedthatIshallceasetoadoreyouwithmywholeheartandsoul，andloveyoubeyondeveryothercreature，Ishallnotbemyself，and，though，ifeverIwinHeavenatall，Imust，Iknow，beinfinitelybetterandhappierthanIamnow，myearthlynaturecannotrejoiceintheanticipationofsuchbeatitude，fromwhichitselfanditschiefjoymustbeexcluded。’
　　`Isyourloveallearthlythen？’
　　`No，butIamsupposingweshallhavenomoreintimatecommunionwitheachother，thanwiththerest。’
　　`Ifso，itwillbebecausewelovethemmoreandnoteachotherless。Increaseoflovebringsincreaseofhappiness，whenitismutual，andpureasthatwillbe。’
　　`Butcanyou，Helen，contemplatewithdelightthisprospectoflosingmeinaseaofglory？’