pity on. She died two months ago, and he and I are now alone.."

She whispered in a hoarse voice..

— "Tell me. How did that happen?"

He understood what she meant and said, turning his face away from her:

— "She was poor and despairing, wrestling with the devil.. I saved her, out of pity for her.."

— "Did you marry her?"

He breathed deeply, propping his head on his hands.

— "No"..

— "Why did you not tell me before?"

— "I did not dare"..

— "And how do you dare now?"

— "I do not know. I have no explanation for it. An account with you, perhaps, that must be settled. A betrayal that must be explained.. I do not want pardon"..

— She studied his eyes and his mouth..

— "Where did you leave him?"

— "Whom??"

— "The child. Her child and yours."

— "With her aunt."

She hid her face in her hands..

"Did you love her?"

— "No"..

— "Why, then? Why?"

— "I do not know. I have no explanation for it. I wanted to save her, as one man saves another on the point of drowning"..

She hid her face once more and went rigid, but for the shaking of her shoulders...

— "Poor woman. And poor me."

He looked into the distance and was silent...

And she raised her head and looked where he was looking..

— "I did not hate you when you failed me. I despised you. Would that I had hated you... They said you were walking the devil's roads, and I did not believe it!

And now you stand before me yourself, casting your sin down at my feet.. What a wretch you are, and what a weakling I am, carrying a heart of dough.. I will tell my mistress that I am leaving here, and I will go with you. To where the child is.

He started, and drew back two steps..

— "What is the matter with you? Is there nothing you would say?"

He shook his head, staring at her, his gaze wandering, his eyes glistening..

— "Wipe your tears, Naim, for weeping shames you"..

•

At last her mistress's footsteps drew near, and she rose and went to the door to wait, in her heart a strange tremor like the one that runs through the heart of a pris-oner set free, his eyes embracing the light and his dreams embrac-ing liberty... Freedom after captivity. Life after death...