“I’d better see you home,” he said.
“Home!” she laughed bitterly. “I had a home once. I don’t suppose I’ll ever have another.”
“Was it true? What he said?”
Her voice was hard, scornful. “Yes, all true. What would you? I must live. I was brought up to do nothing. My husband died leaving me only his debts. Try to understand! Put yourself in my place. Men are brutes. A woman must prey or be preyed on. You are the first decent, clean man I’ve met since ... oh, ever so long. And you’ve never suspected?...”
“No, I didn’t think that of you. I suppose it was because I didn’t want to think it. I thought you were foolish, worldly, of limited means but straight, quite straight. I swear I did.”
“And now that you know you will never see me again?”
“I don’t know. I must think it out. We have both been deceived in the other.”
“Yes, we must both think it out. Here’s the pension. Good-night.”
“Good-night.”