`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？’
