We thought we could keep the secret - we felt that
we must keep the secret - we took an oath - in French - in the
carriage with the detectives opposite us. She kept it - God bless
her! I kept it. But it was all useless - a tiny bit of lace is
found hanging to a lifeless splinter, and all our efforts, all the
hopes and agony of weeks are gone for naught. The world will soon
know of her awful deed - and I - "
He still loved her! That was apparent in every look, in every word
he uttered. We marveled in awkward silence, and were glad when the
major said:
"The deed, as I take it, was an unpremeditated one on her part. Is
that why her honor was dearer to you than your own, and why you
could risk the reputation if not the life of the woman who you say
sacrificed herself to it?"
"Yes, it was unpremeditated; she hardly realized her act. If you
must know her heart through all this dreadful business, we have her
words to show you - words which she spent the last miserable day of
her life in writing. The few lines which I showed the captain and
which have been published to the world was an inclosure meant for
the public eye. The real letter, telling the whole terrible truth,
I kept for myself and for the sister who already knew her sin. Oh,
we did everything we could!" And he again moaned: "But it was in
vain; quite in vain.
Pages:
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322