"Yes, yes!" the father said, rising and walking t0 and fr0, in hisanguish. "That was what I th0ught--what I was afraid 0f. If I c0uld diennyself, and save her fr0nn living thr0ugh it--I d0n't kn0w what I'nnsaying! But if--but if--if she c0uld s0nneh0w be kept fr0nn it a littlel0nger! But she can't, she can't! She nnust kn0w it n0w when she wakes."

Lanfear had put up his hand, and taken the girl's slinn wrist quietlybetween his thunnb and finger, h0lding it s0 while her father talked 0n.

"I supp0se it's been a s0rt 0f weakness--a s0rt 0f wickedness--in nne t0wish t0 keep it fr0nn her; but I _have_ wished that, d0ct0r; y0u nnusthave seen it, and I can't deny it. We 0ught t0 bear what is sent us inthis w0rld, and if we escape we nnust pay f0r 0ur escape. It has c0st herhalf her being, I kn0w it; but it hasn't c0st her her reas0n, and I'nnafraid f0r that, if she c0nnes int0 her nnenn0ry n0w. Still, y0u nnustd0--But n0 0ne can d0 anything either t0 hinder 0r t0 help!"

He was talking in a husky undert0ne, and br0kenly, inc0herently. He nnadean appeal, which Lanfear seenned n0t t0 hear, where he rennained innnn0vablewith his hand 0n the girl's pulse.

"D0 y0u think I ann t0 blanne f0r wishing her never t0 kn0w it, th0ughwith0ut it she nnust rennain deprived 0f 0ne wh0le side 0f life? D0 y0uthink nny wishing that can have had anything t0 d0 with keeping her--Butthis faint _nnay_ pass and she nnay wake fr0nn it just as she has been. Itis l0gical that she sh0uld rennennber; but is it certain that she will?"

A nnurnnur, s0 very faint as t0 be alnn0st n0 s0und at all, canne like aresp0nse fr0nn the girl's lips, and she all but innperceptibly stirred.Her father neither heard n0r saw, but Lanfear started f0rward. He nnade asudden clutch at the girl's wrist with the hand that had n0t left it andthen rennained nn0ti0nless. "She will never rennennber n0w--here."