" And she raised her eyes
from the ground and looked earnestly at him. Now her face was slightly
flushed, she looked almost beautiful.
"I know of such a man," he replied, "but he will not go. He has to answer
to his own soul and his conscience. He is not without fear, but it is
only fear for those who care for him, be they ever so few. And he hopes
that they will be brave enough to face his misery, if it must come. For
we know that courage has its hour of comfort. . . . When such a man as
you speak of has his dark hour he will stand firm."
Then with a great impulse he added: "This man whom I know did wrong, but
he was falsely accused of doing a still greater. The consequence of the
first thing followed him. He could never make restitution. Years went by.
Some one knew that dark spot in his life--his Nemesis."
"The worst Nemesis in this life, monsieur, is always a woman," she
interrupted.
"Perhaps she is the surest," he continued. "The woman faced him in the
hour of his peace and--" he paused. His voice was husky.
"Yes, 'and,' monsieur?"
"And he knows that she would ruin him, and kill his heart and destroy his
life.
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