Gratian made the movement of one who is gripped by two strong emotions, and longs to surrender to one or to the other.
“It's too horrible,” was all she said.
Noel turned towards the door.
“Stop, Nollie!”
Noel stopped with her hand on the door knob. “I don't want to be forgiven and sympathised with. I just want to be let alone.”
“How can you be let alone?”
The tide of misery surged up in Noel, and she cried out passionately:
“I hate sympathy from people who can't understand. I don't want anyone's. I can always go away, and lose myself.”
The words “can't understand” gave Gratian a shock.
“I can understand,” she said.