Ah, how little will really be over, whatever they can do! You have repented, have you not, Alaric ?' 'I think so, I hope so,' said Alaric, with his eyes upon the ground.
'You have repented, and are right before God; do not fear then what man can do to you.

I would not have you brazen, Alaric; but be manly, be collected, be your own self, the man that I have loved, the man that I do now love so well, better, better than ever;' and she threw herself on him and kissed him and clung to him, and stroked his hair and put her hand upon his face, and then holding him from her, looked up to him as though he were a hero whom she all but worshipped.
'Gertrude, Gertrude--that I should have brought you to this!' 'Never mind,' said she; 'we will win through it yet--we will yet be happy together, far, far away from here--remember that--let that support you through all.

And now, Alaric, you will come up for one moment and kiss him before you go.' 'The man will be impatient.' 'Never mind; let him be impatient-you shall not go away without blessing your boy; come up, Alaric.' And she took him by the hand and led him like a child into the nursery.
'Where is the nurse?
bring him here--papa is going away--Alley, boy, give papa a big kiss.' Alaric, for the first time for the fortnight, took the little fellow into his arms and kissed him.

'God bless you, my bairn,' said he, 'and grant that all this may never be visited against you, here or hereafter!' 'And now go,' said Gertrude, as they descended the stairs together, 'and may God in His mercy watch over and protect you and give you back to me! And, Alaric, wherever you are I will be close to you, remember that.

I will be quite, quite close to you.
Now, one kiss--oh, dearest, dearest Alaric--there--there--now go.' And so he went, and Gertrude shutting herself into her room threw herself on to the bed, and wept aloud..