Милий друг
A Meeting and the Result
Hecontinued:"ShallImeetyouto-morrowatParkMonceau?"
Sheturnedalividfacetowardhimandsaidunsteadily:"Leaveme—leavemenow—go—goaway—foronlyfiveminutes—Isuffertoomuchnearyou.Iwanttopray—go.Letmeprayalone—fiveminutes—letmeaskGod—topardonme—tosaveme—leaveme—fiveminutes."
Shelookedsopitifulthatherosewithoutawordandaskedwithsomehesitation:"ShallIreturnpresently?"
Shenoddedherheadintheaffirmativeandhelefther.Shetriedtopray;sheclosedhereyesinordernottoseeGeorges.Shecouldnotpray;shecouldonlythinkofhim.Shewouldratherhavediedthanhavefallenthus;shehadneverbeenweak.Shemurmuredseveralwordsofsupplication;sheknewthatallwasover,thatthestrugglewasinvain.Shedidnothoweverwishtoyield,butshefeltherweakness.Someoneapproachedwitharapidstep;sheturnedherhead.Itwasapriest.Sherose,rantowardhim,andclaspingherhands,shecried:"Saveme,saveme!"
Hestoppedinsurprise.
"Whatdoyouwant,Madame?"
"Iwantyoutosaveme.Havepityonme.Ifyoudonothelpme,Iamlost!"
Hegazedather,wonderingifsheweremad.
"WhatcanIdoforyou?"Thepriestwasayoungmansomewhatinclinedtocorpulence.
"Receivemyconfession,"saidshe,"andcounselme,sustainme,tellmewhattodo.
