The old Lowbridge doctor told Rosemary that he feared permanent melancholy or worse . Once , when Ellen had sat all day , refusing either to speak or eat , Rosemary had flung herself on her knees by her sister 's side . `` Oh , Ellen , you have me yet , '' she said imploringly . `` Am I nothing to you ? We have always loved each other so . '' `` I wo n't have you always , '' Ellen had said , breaking her silence with harsh intensity . `` 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 XXXXX each other that they would never marry and would always live together .
So at by into of on that though to with