It was useless to tell her that the acceptance of such a sacrifice would be a thousand-fold worse than death.

Even the depth and devotion of her own love could not persuade her to realise the passionate earnestness of mine.

It was still more in vain to remind her that such a concession must entail the dishonour that man fears above all perils; would brand me with that indelible stain of abject personal cowardice which for ever degrades and ruins not only the fame but the nature of manhood, as the stain of wilful unchastity debases and ruins woman.
"Rescind our contract," she insisted, pleading, with the overpowering vehemence of a love absolutely unselfish, against love's deepest instincts and that egotism which is almost inseparable from it; giving passionate utterance to an affection such as men rarely feel for women, women perhaps never for men.

"Divorce me; force the enemy to believe that you have broken with my father and with his Order; and, favoured as you are by the Sovereign, you will be safe.

Give what reason you will; say that I have deserved it, that I have forced you to it.