"
She paused, and the strange tenderness in her voice seemed to hover
round us like a memory. I know that the sound of it moved me more even
than her words, it was so very human--so very womanly. Leo, too, was
strangely touched. Hitherto he had been fascinated against his better
judgment, something as a bird is fascinated by a snake, but now I think
that all this passed away, and he realised that he really loved this
strange and glorious creature, as, alas! I loved her also. At any rate,
I saw his eyes fill with tears, and he stepped swiftly to her and undid
the gauzy veil, and then took her by the hand, and, gazing into her deep
eyes, said aloud--
"Ayesha, I love thee with all my heart, and so far as forgiveness is
possible I forgive thee the death of Ustane. For the rest, it is between
thee and thy Maker; I know naught of it. I only know that I love thee as
I never loved before, and that I will cleave to thee to the end."
"Now," answered Ayesha, with proud humility--"now when my lord doth
speak thus royally and give with so free a hand, it cannot become me to
lag behind in words, and be beggared of my generosity.
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