“I never wish to see you again.” Hilda stared with dilated eyes into his eyes of pitiful appeal. “You have robbed my life of the little it had; you have robbed me of self-respect.”
“Shall I leave you, Hilda?”
“You have broken her heart, and you have broken mine. Yes, leave me.”
“Good-bye,” said Odd. He walked towards the door like a man stabbed to the heart, and half-unconscious.
“Peter!” cried Hilda, in a hard voice. He turned towards her. She was standing in the middle of the room looking at him with the same fixed and dilated eyes.
“What is it, my child?” Odd asked gently.
“Kiss me good-bye!”
He came to her, and she held out her arms. They clasped one another.
“Must I leave you?” he asked, in a stammering voice.
“Yes, yes, yes. Kiss me.”