She acknowledged that she had long expected such a
marriage, looking forward to it as a great sorrow. She repeated
over and over again her assertion that she could not "know" Madame
Goesler as the wife of Phineas, but abstained from further evil words
respecting the lady. "It is better that we should be apart," she said
at last. "I feel that it is better. When we are both old, if I should
live, we may meet again. I knew that it was coming, and we had better
part." And yet they remained out there, wandering about the park for
a long portion of the summer night. She did not reproach him again,
nor did she speak much of the future; but she alluded to all the
incidents of their past life, showing him that nothing which he had
done, no words which he had spoken, had been forgotten by her. "Of
course it has been my fault," she said, as at last she parted with
him in the drawing-room. "When I was younger I did not understand
how strong the heart can be. I should have known it, and I pay for
my ignorance with the penalty of my whole life.
Pages:
1273
1274
1275
1276
1277
1278
1279
1280
1281
1282
1283
1284
1285
1286
1287
1288
1289
1290
1291
1292
1293
1294
1295
1296
1297