Now tell me frankly, and on your honor! Have I not shocked you many times during this interview by my betrayal of woman's cause, my lack of feminine modesty, my reckless, passionate, most indecorous avowal, that I live only in the life of one who, perhaps, scorns and shudders at me ?" Thus adjured, however difficult the point to which she brought him, the sculptor was not a man to swerve aside from the simple truth.
"Miriam," replied he, "you exaggerate the impression made upon my mind; but it has been painful, and somewhat of the character which you suppose." "I knew it," said Miriam, mournfully, and with no resentment.

"What remains of my finer nature would have told me so, even if it had not been perceptible in all your manner.

Well, my dear friend, when you go back to Rome, tell Hilda what her severity has done! She was all womanhood to me; and when she cast me off, I had no longer any terms to keep with the reserves and decorums of my sex.

Hilda has set me free! Pray tell her so, from Miriam, and thank her!" "I shall tell Hilda nothing that will give her pain," answered Kenyon.
"But, Miriam, though I know not what passed between her and yourself, I feel,--and let the noble frankness of your disposition forgive me if I say so,--I feel that she was right.

You have a thousand admirable qualities.