"Mamma! Say something? Papa! Peter! Will nobody speak?"
"Leonore," said Peter, "do not doubt me. Trust me and I will--"
"Tell me," cried Leonore interrupting, "was this why you didn't come to
see us? Oh! I see it all! This is what mamma knew. This is what pained
you. And I thought it was your love for--!" Leonore screamed.
"My darling," cried Peter wildly, "don't look so. Don't speak--"
"Don't touch me," cried Leonore. "Don't. Only go away." Leonore threw
herself upon the rug weeping. It was fearful the way those sobs shook
her.
"It can't be," said Peter. "Watts! She is killing herself."
But Watts had disappeared from the room.
"Only go away," cried Leonore. "That's all you can do now. There's
nothing to be done."
Peter leaned over and picked up the prostrate figure, and laid it
tenderly on the sofa. Then he kissed the edge of her skirt. "Yes. That's
all I can do," he said quietly. "Good-bye, sweetheart. I'll go away." He
looked about as if bewildered, then passed from the room to the hall,
from the hall to the door, from the door to the steps.
Pages:
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781