At
length, she denied it with firmness, but without anger, exhorting me
to return to myself, and not injure an innocent girl who had never
wronged me. With infernal impudence, I confirmed my accusation, and to
her face maintained she had given me the ribbon: on which, the poor
girl, bursting into tears, said these words- "Ah, Rousseau! I
thought you a good disposition- you render me very unhappy, but I
would not be in your situation." She continued to defend herself
with as much innocence as firmness, but without uttering the least
invective against me. Her moderation, compared to my positive tone,
did her an injury; as it did not appear natural to suppose, on one
side such diabolical assurance; on the other, such angelic mildness.
The affair could not be absolutely decided, but the presumption was in
my favor; and the Count de la Roque, in sending us both away,
contented himself with saying, "The conscience of the guilty would
revenge the innocent." His prediction was true, and is being daily
verified.
I am ignorant what became of the victim of my calumny, but there
is little probability of her having been able to place herself
agreeably after this, as she labored under an imputation cruel to
her character in every respect. The theft was a trifle, yet it was a
theft, and, what was worse, employed to seduce a boy; while the lie
and obstinacy left nothing to hope from a person in whom so many vices
were united. I do not even look on the misery and disgrace in which
I plunged her as the greatest evil: who knows, at her age, whither
contempt and disregarded innocence might have led her?- Alas! if
remorse for having made her unhappy is insupportable, what must I have
suffered at the thought of rendering her even worse than myself.
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