He accepted the bending of her head as a reply.
"Are you interested in her?" he asked next.
She faintly answered this time. "Yes."
"Have you encouraged her?"
"I have not dared to encourage her."
His face lighted up suddenly with enthusiasm. "Go to her," he
said, "and let me go with you and help you!"
The answer came faintly and mournfully. "She has sunk too low for
that!"
He interrupted her with a gesture of impatience.
"What has she done?" he asked.
"She has deceived--basely deceived--innocent people who trusted
her. She has wronged--cruelly wronged--another woman."
For the first time Julian seated himself at her side. The
interest that was now roused in him was an interest above
reproach. He could speak to Mercy without restraint; he could
look at Mercy with a pure heart.
"You judge her very harshly," he said. "Do _you_ know how she may
have been tried and tempted?"
There was no answer.
"Tell me," he went on, "is the person whom she has injured still
living?"
"Yes."
"If the person is still living, she may atone for the wrong. The
time may come when this sinner, too, may win our pardon and
deserve our respect.
Pages:
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244