It showed me a
bed-chamber within, and a candle burning on the toilet-table.
"Go in there and play," I said. "I want to talk to your mamma."
The child pouted: my proposal did not appear to tempt her. "Give
me something to play with," she said. "I'm tired of my toys. Let
me see what you have got in your pockets."
Her busy little hands began to search in my coat-pockets. I let
her take what she pleased, and so bribed her to run away into the
inner room. As soon as she was out of sight, I approached the
poor mother and seated myself by her side.
"Think of it as I do," I said. "Now that he has forsaken you, he
has left you free to be mine."
She lifted her head instantly; her eyes flashed through her
tears.
"Now that he has forsaken me," she answered, "I am more unworthy
of you than ever!"
"Why?" I asked.
"Why!" she repeated, passionately. "Has a woman not reached the
lowest depths of degradation when she has lived to be deserted by
a thief?"
It was hopeless to attempt to reason with her in her present
frame of mind. I tried to attract her attention to a less painful
subject by referring to the strange succession of events which
had brought me to her for the third time. She stopped me
impatiently at the outset.
"It seems useless to say once more what we have said on other
occasions," she answered. "I understand what has brought you
here. I
have appeared to you again in a vision, just as I appeared to
you twice before.
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