Now there was cause--cause
enough. She could only see the enormity of her guilt with his eyes,
so completely did he dominate her. That a thousand circumstances had
mitigated her action, had goaded her, as the unwilling beast is
driven through the noise and smoke of battle, until, in the fury of
fear, it plunges headlong towards the murderous cannonade--that
these things should be taken into account did not enter her
conception of the situation. She had wronged him. That was all she
felt. And now, clutching his hand, raising it to her lips, drenching
it with her tears and kisses, she begged his forgiveness, humbling
herself down to the very dust.
He took his hand away. "What's the good of talking about
forgiveness?" he said unemotionally. "The thing's done. I was not
the only person who saw you."
"Your sister?"
"Yes; she pointed you out first."
"I might have guessed that!" Sally exclaimed bitterly.
"Why?"
"Because she hates me. She knew it 'ud make you angry if you saw me
there."
"Oh, that's nonsense! Why should she hate you?"
"Why, because she wants you for that other girl. And you do care for
her now, don't you--don't you?"
Traill turned away with annoyance.
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