It is so bitter to doubt
whether the thing that wrings the heart is really right after all."
Herman made a sudden movement as if he would start forward, then he
restrained himself.
"Forgive me," he said, in a strangely softened voice. "You have
forgiven me for being cruel before. To have done a thing because you
believe it is right is of more consequence than anything else can be.
The truth is in the heart, not the thing."
She tried to smile. She felt as if she were acting again an old scene,
the trick of taking refuge from too dangerous personal feeling in the
expression of general truths carrying her back to the time when the
expedient had served them both before.
"But people who have faith," she said, "who believe creeds and
doctrines, can have little conception how much harder it is for us than
for them to do what we think is the right."
He did not answer her, and a moment they stood in silence with downcast
looks. Then she moved slowly down the great studio toward the door, and
he followed by her side.
As she put her hand upon the Oran rug to lift it, she raised her eyes
and met his glance. The blood rushed into their faces. They remembered
their parting embrace and the burning kisses of long ago.
"Good-by," she said, and even before he could answer her she had gone
out swiftly.
XXIII
AS FALSE AS STAIRS OF SAND.
Pages:
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246