"There is no such future as that," she answered, "for the woman
whom I am thinking of. She has lost her opportunity. She has done
with hope."
Julian gravely considered with himself for a moment.
"Let us understand each other," he said. "She has committed an
act of deception to the injury of another woman. Was that what
you told me?"
"Yes."
"And she has gained something to her own advantage by the act."
"Yes."
"Is she threatened with discovery?"
"She is safe from discovery--for the present, at least."
"Safe as long as she closes her lips?"
"As long as she closes her lips."
"There is her opportunity!" cried Julian. "Her future is before
her. She has not done with hope!"
With clasped hands, in breathless suspense, Mercy looked at that
inspiriting face, and listened to those golden words.
"Explain yourself," she said. "Tell her, through me, what she
must do."
"Let her own the truth," answered Julian, "without the base fear
of discovery to drive her to it. Let her do justice to the woman
whom she has wronged, while that woman is still powerless to
expose her. Let her sacrifice everything that she has gained by
the fraud to the sacred duty of atonement.
Pages:
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246