ing or delaying the coming
ceremony, but simply betrayed the state of mind to which she was
reduced. She counted the days and she counted the hours as a criminal
counts them who sits in his cell and waits for the executioner. She
knew, she thought she knew, that she would stand in the church and
have her hand put into that of Peter Steinmarc; but what might happen
after that she did not know.

She would stand at the altar and have her hand put into that of Peter
Steinmarc, and she would be called his wife in sight of God and
man. She spent hours in solitude attempting to realise the position
with all its horrors. She never devoted a minute to the task of
reconciling herself to it. She did not make one slightest endeavour
towards teaching herself that after all it might be possible for her
to live with the man as his companion in peace and quietness. She
hated him with all the vigour of her heart, and she would hate him to
the end. On that subject no advice, no prayer, no grace from heaven,
could be of service to her. Satan, with all the horrors of hell, as
they had been described to her, was preferable to the companionship
of Peter Steinmarc. And yet she went on without flinching.

She went on without flinching till the night of the tenth of March.
Up to that time, from the day on which she had last consented to her
martyrdom, no idea of escape had occurred to her. As she left her
aunt on that evening, Madame Staubach spoke to her. "You should at
any rate pray for him," said Madame Staubach. "I hope that you pray
that this marriage may be for his welfare." How could she pray for
him? And how could she utter such a prayer as that? But she tried;
and as she tried, she reflected that the curse to him would be as
great as it was to her. Not only was she to be sacrificed, but the
miserable man was bringing himself also to utter wretchedness. Unless
she could die, there would be no escape for him, as also there would
be none for her. That she should speak to him, touch him, hold
intercourse with him, was, she now told herself, out of the question.
She might be his servant, if he would allow her to be so at a
distance, but nothing more. Or it might be possible that she should
be his murderess! A woman who has been taught by her religion that
she is and must be a child of the Evil One, may become guilty of what
most terrible crime you please without much increase of damage to her
own cause,--without much damage according to h