“I will take you home,” I said.
She went slowly up to M. and stood before him. I had never seen her look so beautiful.
The old man looked at her fixedly.
“I made up my mind,” she said, “after I spoke to Dr. Giles that I would never try to jump out any more, but you see I did.”
“Forgive me,” he said brokenly, holding out a shaking hand.
“It’s not your fault,” she said, clasping his hand in both of hers. “You are good, and you understand. You are the only person I have ever met who would help me if you could. But no one can help me. No one.”
And very reverently, very tenderly, she kissed his leaden hand and laid it down upon his knee.
As I took Blanche home I said to her:
“And when did you appeal to me, and when did I repulse you?”
“When I spoke to you about Goldy and you weren’t sorry, you did not mind a bit. You only said he was a lucky goldfish.”