"Expecting me?"
"Yes. When a woman is sunk as deep in crime and degradation as you are, the hour comes sooner or later when she is driven to seek shelter with her own family. I am not surprised."
Odette staggered back against the wall. Germaine knew all!
Her sister's cold, quiet tones pierced her to the heart. What! would Germaine, too, drive her away!
She ran to her sister, and, seizing her hand, cried: "Do you hate me, too?"
Germaine released her hand without replying. Then the bitterness of death overcame Odette. She was alone, alone! Even Germaine repulsed her! But Germaine could not drive her away! She would never believe her sister capable of such cold-heartedness.
Grasping her hand again, she cried: "Oh, Germaine, why do you treat me so? I have only you left to love me. I never would have shut you out of my heart if you had committed a crime. Here, on my knees, I implore you to take pity on me." And she clung, sobbing, to her sister. Germaine looked down at her with infinite compassion and sorrow.
"I have no excuse, not one! But, if you only knew what I suffered, trying to resist this consuming passion. You can not know. Your life is so pure and holy, that you can not even imagine what love and passion are."
Germaine started up, her eyes flaming: "Your criminal passion is no excuse. You think no one can resist this love that carries one away like a mighty river. You think I can not even imagine what love and passion are! But, let me tell you that I, too, know them as well as you! I carry in my heart a love as deep, as wildly passionate, as yours. You love Claude; I love Paul! Do you remember that little romance I told you so long ago? It was Paul that was at our house. It was Paul I loved. When you told me the name of your future husband, my soul writhed in agony. But I said nothing, because I supposed of course you loved him."
Odette was still kneeling on the floor, completely overwhelmed by this revelation.