it, if you do. Only for heaven's sake, don't keep me in
suspense. Tell me your decision."

Still silence.

"Do you want to take revenge on me now?" he repeated.

"No;" she said abruptly, "of what use would it be? No, no, wait, wait a
moment. I want no vengeance. It is useless for women to try to fight
against men; they can only _hate_ them!"

The Professor started, as if he had been struck.

They stood looking at one another.

"In heaven's name, what is the meaning of this? Am I to be hated for a
sin committed years ago, and long since repented? Have you no breadth of
sympathy, no tolerance for erring humanity? Am I never to be forgiven?
Oh, Hadria, Hadria, this is more than I can bear!"

She was standing very still and very calm. Her tones were clear and
deliberate.

"If vengeance is futile, so is forgiveness. It undoes no wrong. It is
not a question of forgiveness or of vengeance. I think, after all, if I
were to attempt the impossible by trying to avenge women whom men have
injured, I should begin with the wives. In this case" (she turned to the
grave), "the tragedy is more obvious, but I believe the everyday tragedy
of the docile wife and mother is even more profound."

"You speak as coldly, as bitterly, as if you regarded me as your worst
enemy--I who love you." He came forward a step, and she drew back
hurriedly.

"All that is over. I too have a confession to make."

"Good heavens, what is it? Are you not what I thought you? Have you some
history, some stain--? Don't for pity's sake tell me that!"

Hadria looked at him, with a cold miserable smile. "That is really
amusing!" she cried; "I should not hold myself responsible to you, for
my past, in any case. My confession relates to the present. I came up
here with this pencil and paper, half resolved to write to you--I wanted
to tell you that--that I find--I find my feelings towards you have
changed----"

He gave a hoarse, inarticulate cry, and turned sharply round. His hands
went up to his head. Then he veered suddenly, and went fiercely up to
her.

"Then you _are_ in earnest? You _do_ hate me! for a sin dead and buried?
Good God! could one have believed it? Because I was honest with you,
where another man would have kept the matter dark, I am to be thrown
over without a word, without a chance. Lord, and this is what a woman
calls love!"

He broke into a laugh that sounded ghastly and cruel, in the serene calm
of the churchyard. The laugh seeme