because you have forgotten me," said she, softly; "I weep
because, in accusing yourself, you make no excuse for your crime; not
even your love for your poor Rosa."

"It is true," said he, sadly, "I had forgotten our love. And still it is
the only excuse that I have for my second crime. I had determined to be
a good man, and to expiate my one crime throughout my whole life. But
when I saw you, your beauty fascinated me, and you drew me on. I went
with open eyes into the net which you prepared for me, Rosa. I allowed
myself to be allured by your beauty, knowing well that it would draw me
into a frightful abyss."

"Ah," said Rosa, groaning, "how cruelly you speak of our love!"

"Of our love!" repeated he, shrugging his shoulders. "Child, in this
hour we will be true to each other. Ours was no true love. You were in
love with my noble name and position--I with your youth, your beauty,
your coquettish ways. Our souls were not in unison. You gave yourself
to me, not because you loved me, but because you wished to deceive me.
I allowed myself to be deceived because of your loveliness and because I
saw the golden reward which your deceitful love would bring me."

"You are cruel and unjust," said Rosa, sadly. "It may be true that you
never loved me, but I loved you truly. I gave you my whole heart."

"Yes, and in giving it," said he, harshly--"in giving it you had the
presence of mind to keep the aim of your tenderness always in view.
While your arms were around me, your little hand which seemed to rest
upon my heart, sought for the key which I always kept in my vest-pocket,
and which I had lately told you belonged to the desk in which the
important papers of the embassy were placed. You found this key, Rosa,
and I knew it, but I only laughed, and pressed you closer to my heart."

"Terrible! terrible!" said Rosa, trembling. "He knew all, and still he
let me do it!"

"Yes I allowed you to do it--I did not wish to be better than the girl
I loved: and, as she desired to deceive me, I let myself be deceived. I
allowed it, because the demon of gold had taken possession of me. I took
the important papers out of my desk, to which you had stolen the key,
and hid them. Then the tempters came and whispered of golden rewards, of
eternal gratitude, of fortune, honor; and these fiendish whispers misled
my soul. I sold my honor and became a traitor, and all this for the sake
of gold! So I became what I now am. I do not reproach you Rosa