" She
patted my hand, and closed her weary eyes, and, little by little, fell off
peaceably into sleep.
I stole downstairs again. I think the good influence of my mother must
have followed me down. At any rate, this is true: I stopped with my hand
on the closed kitchen door, and said to myself: "Suppose I leave the
house, and leave the village, without seeing her or speaking to her more?"
Should I really have fled from temptation in this way, if I had been left
to myself to decide? Who can tell? As things were, I was not left to
decide. While my doubt was in my mind, she heard me, and opened the
kitchen door. My eyes and her eyes met. That ended it.
We were together, unsuspected and undisturbed, for the next two hours.
Time enough for her to reveal the secret of her wasted life. Time enough
for her to take possession of me as her own, to do with me as she liked.
It is needless to dwell here on the misfortunes which had brought her
low; they are misfortunes too common to interest anybody.
Her name was Alicia Warlock. She had been born and bred a lady. She had
lost her station, her character, and her friends. Virtue shuddered at the
sight of her; and Vice had got her for the rest of her days. Shocking and
common, as I told you. It made no difference to _me_. I have said it
already--I say it again--I was a man bewitched.
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