She fell upon her knees, crying. "Forgive me, Peter," she entreated. "Thou art such a strong man; forgive me."
"Tell me the whole truth. What is this man to thee?"
She knelt in silence, shaken with sobs.
"Who is he?" said Peter, his voice getting deeper and hoarser.
She only kept moaning, "Forgive me." Presently she said between her sobs, "I only went this morning to tell him to go away. I wanted him to go away; I have prayed him to go again and again."
"Since when hast thou known him?"
Again she made no answer, but inarticulate moans.
Peter stood looking at her for a few seconds with an indescribable expression of sorrow and aversion.
"I loved thee," he said; and turning away, left her.