“You see I was wrong to trust you—to come here into the garden with you. But I thought you a man of honor!”
“I thought myself so,” I said.
“And your excuse?”
“I was tempted and I fell.”
“That has been man’s retort since the days of Adam!” she said with scorn. “A retort which I consider ungenerous and ungentlemanly.”
“Well, it has not been without some justification,” I said, my spirits rising, as I saw that here, at least, was a victim capable of self-defense. “But I apologize.”
“You promise that the act shall never be repeated?” she asked with great severity.
“I promise that freely.”
“But will you keep the promise? You see I have a reason to distrust you, M. de Tavernay.”
“Yes, I will keep it,” I said. “I have the memory of this night to live on;” and my heart warmed at the thought. “Always I shall have the memory of this night to live on!”