Mary showed no signs of surprise.
"You know something?" she asked.
"Doctors, Miss Krog, know more than they may tell."
"Yet I do believe that he loved me," said Mary, to excuse herself.
"We all saw that," replied Margrete. "He undoubtedly loved you better than he had ever loved before. Nor was it surprising," she added. "But when I lived in Christiania I knew a sweet young girl who at that time was the one love of his life! She allowed herself to be deeply moved by this, and as they could not marry, she gave herself to him."
"What did she do?" asked Mary, startled. Had she understood aright? The storm was howling so loudly outside that it was difficult to hear.
Margrete repeated distinctly and impressively: "She was a warm-hearted girl, who believed that she was doing right, as she was his one and only love."
"They could not marry?"
"It was not possible. So she gave herself to him without marriage."
Mary started up, but did not move forward. She was going to say something, but stopped.