"God forgive me if I have done wrong," she said, speaking to herself. "I only mean to do right."
Guido moved his head on his cushion again, as if suffering unbearable pain, and a sort of harsh laugh answered her words.
"Your God will forgive you," he said bitterly, after a moment. "Man made God in his own image, and God must needs obey his creator. When you cannot forgive yourself, you set up an image and ask it to pardon you. I do not wonder."
The cruel words hurt her in more ways than one, and she drew her breath between her teeth as if she had struck unawares against something sharp and was repressing a cry of pain. Then there was silence for a long time.
"Why do you stay here?" Guido asked, in a low tone, not looking at her. "You cannot have anything more to say. You have done what you came to do. Let me be alone."
"Guido!"
She touched his shoulder gently as he lay turned from her, but he moved and pushed her away.
"It cannot give you pleasure to see me suffer," he said. "Please go away."
"How can I leave you like this?"
There was despair in her voice, and the sound of tears that would never come to her eyes. He did not answer. She would not go away without trying to appease him, and she made a strong effort to collect her thoughts.