It is a divine task for any man, and the greatest have thought it worthy of them." Still she was silent; and so was he for a little while, looking at her side face, for she had thrown back the veil and her delicate profile showed clearly against the sea foam.
"Countess," he said at last; and his voice came and went fitfully with the breeze--"I would give my whole life's strength and study for the gladness of foreseeing one little thing that you might wish, and of doing it for you." His hand stole along the taffrail till it touched hers, but he did not lift his fingers from the polished wood.
"Dr.Claudius, you would give too much," she said; for the magic of the hour and place was upon her, and the Doctor's earnest tones admitted of no laughing retort.

She ought to have checked him then, and the instant she had spoken she knew it; but before she could speak again he had taken the hand he was already touching between both of his, and was looking straight in her face.
"Margaret, I love you with all my soul and heart and strength." Her hand trembled in his, but she could not take it away.

Before she had answered he had dropped to his knee and was pressing the gloved fingers to his lips.
"I love you, I love you, I love you," he repeated, and his strength was as the strength of ten in that moment.
"Dr.Claudius," said she at last, in a broken and agitated way, "you ought not to have said this.

It was not right of you." She tried to loose her hand, but he rose to his feet still clasping it.
"Forgive me," he said, "forgive me!" His face was almost luminously pale.

"All the ages cannot take from me this--that I have told you." Margaret said never a word, but covered her head with her veil and glided noiselessly away, leaving Claudius with his white face and staring eyes to the contemplation of what he had done.