Of a sudden the room became very still. 130

Ichabod, exploring, discovered a tiny wash basin and a bucket of water.

“You wished to wash, Camilla?”

The woman did not move.

“They were very kind”––she looked through the window with the tiny panes: “have we any right to––lie to them?”

“We have not lied.”

“Tacitly.”

“No. I’m Ichabod Maurice and you’re Camilla Maurice. We have not lied.”

“But––”

“The past is dead, dead!”