“I am the mother of a child that died but was never christened,” said Norah. “It was all through my own fault.”

“You haven’t been married?”

“No,” said the girl, with a shudder. “I often thought of takin’ my own life.”

“Yes.”

“I took to drink and then threw the picture of the Blessed Virgin and a stoup of holy water into the fire.”

She paused.

“Ye’ve given up the life of the streets?” enquired the priest in a voice teeming with curiosity.

“I have,” answered Norah.

“Did ye like it?”

“No.” The answer was the echo of a whisper almost.