But, all these years, while thou and I were both deceived, He, Who knoweth all, has known the truth.

He knew thee betrothed to me.

He heard thee say, upon the battlements, when last we stood together: 'God knows, I am all thine own.' He knew how, when I thought I had lost thee, I yet lived faithful to the pure memory of our love.

The day thy vows were made, He knew that I was free, and thou, therefore, still pledged to me.
Shall a man rob God?
Ay, he may.

But shall God rob a man?
Nay, then, never!" She trembled, wavered; then fled to the shrine of the Virgin, kneeling with hands outstretched.
"Holy Mother of God," she sobbed, "teach him that I dare not do this thing! Shew him that I cannot break my vows.