Then I became aware that Mildred was making no reply to my reproaches, and looking over my shoulder I saw that she was still sitting in my chair with both her hands covering her face and the tears trickling through her fingers on to the linen of her habit.
That conquered me in a moment.
I was seized with such remorse that I wished to throw my arms about her neck and kiss her. I dared not do that, now, but I knelt by her side again and asked her to forgive me.
"Forgive me, sister," I said. "I see now that God has brought us to this pass and there is no way out of it. You must do what you think is right. I shall always know you couldn't have done otherwise. He will know too. And if it must be that disgrace is to fall on him through me . . . and that when he comes home he will find. . . ."
But I could not bear to speak about that, so I dropped my head on Mildred's lap.
During the silence that followed we heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.
"Listen! They're here," said Mildred. "Get up. Say nothing. Leave everything to me."
I rose quickly and returned to the window. Mildred dried her eyes, got up from the chair and stood with her back to the fire-place.
There was a knock at my door. I do not know which of us answered it, but my landlady came into the room, followed by three men in tall silk hats.
"Excuse us, my dear," she said, in an insincere voice. "These gentlemen are making an examination of the house, and they wish to see your room. May they?"