`` You will marry and leave me . I shall be left all alone . I can not bear the thought -- I CAN NOT . I would rather die . '' `` I will never marry , '' said Rosemary , `` never , Ellen . '' Ellen bent forward and looked searchingly into Rosemary 's eyes . `` Will you promise me that solemnly ? '' she said . `` Promise it on mother 's Bible . '' Rosemary assented at once , quite willing to humour Ellen . What did it matter ? She knew quite well she would never want to marry any one . Her love had gone down with Martin Crawford to the deeps of the sea ; and without love she could not marry any one . So she promised readily , though Ellen made rather a fearsome rite of it . They clasped hands over the Bible , in their mother 's vacant room , and both vowed to each other that they would never marry and would always live together . Ellen 's condition improved from that hour . She soon regained her normal cheery poise . For ten years she and Rosemary lived in the old house happily , undisturbed by any thought of marrying or giving in marriage . Their promise sat very lightly on them . Ellen never failed to remind her sister of it whenever any eligible male creature crossed their paths , but she had never been really alarmed until John Meredith came home that night with Rosemary .
As for Rosemary , XXXXX 's obsession regarding that promise had always been a little matter of mirth to her -- until lately .
Bible Crawford Ellen Rosemary eyes hour left love room years