"Oh, Alden, you are very hard! You have not forgiven me!"
"I have utterly forgiven you."
"But you cherish hard thoughts of me?"
"Mrs. Grey, I must regard your actions—the actions that separated us—as they really are," answered Alden, sadly and firmly, as he arose and took his hat to leave the room.
"No, no, no; don't go yet! You must hear me—you shall hear me! Even a convicted murderer is allowed to speak for himself!" she exclaimed, with passionate tears.
Alden sighed and sat down.
"You must regard my actions as they really are, you say. Ah, but the extenuating circumstances, the temptations, the motives—aye, the motives!—have you ever thought of them?"
"I can see no motive that could justify your acts," said Alden, coldly.
"No, not justify—I do not justify them even to myself—not justify, but palliate them, Alden—palliate them at least in your eyes, if in no others."
"And why in my eyes, Mrs. Grey?"