"'I don't see that it should hurt you,' she said. 'I brought it on myself. You didn't do it. It happened to me. It was my fault. Though why God made me love beautiful things—and then set a trap for me and made me fool enough to fall into it——!'
"Silence fell between us.
"'Meeting you like this,' I began presently, 'makes me see things—so differently. You see—in those old days—in some ways you seemed so much stronger than I was. I didn't understand.... I see—— This makes me feel—— I ought to have taken better care of you."
"'Or shown me mercy. I was dirty and shameful—yes. All that. But you were merciless, Harry. Men are merciless to women. I did—all through—I loved you, Harry. In a way I've always loved you and I love you now. When I looked up and saw it was you coming back to me—— For a minute you were just like the old Harry. For a moment—— It was like Spring coming real.... But it's no good talking like that now, Harry. It's too late.'
"'Yes,' I agreed. 'Too late....'
"She watched my face through a long pause. I weighed my words when I spoke. 'Up to now,' I said, 'I've never forgiven. Now—— Now I see you here I wish—I wish to God—I had forgiven you. And made a fight for it with you. We might—— Suppose, Hetty, suppose I had forgiven you——?'
"'Harry dear,' she said softly, 'you don't want to be seen here making a woman cry. We won't talk of that. Tell me about yourself. I've heard you married again. A beautiful woman. Sumner saw that I heard of that. Are you happy, Harry? You look prosperous, and everyone isn't prosperous these post-war times.'
"'That's all so-and-so, Hetty. I work hard. I've got ambitions. I'm still a publisher's assistant at the old place but I'm near to being a director. I'm high up. My wife—— She's a dear and a great help to me.... Somehow meeting you ... My God! Hetty, what a mess we made of things! It's all very well, but the second time of marrying isn't like the first. You and I—— I'm a sort of blood brother to you and nothing can change it. The wood—that little wood where you kissed me! Why did we smash it up, Hetty? Why did we do it? Two fools who'd got so precious a thing! That's all past. But hate is dead between us. That's past too. If there was anything I could do for you now I would do it.'
"A gleam of the old humour came, 'If you could kill Sumner,' she said, 'and smash the world and destroy the memories of three years ... It's no good, Harry. I ought to have kept myself clean. And you—you might have been gentler with me.'
"'I couldn't, Hetty.'