Will you tell me? Will it hurt you to
tell me about what you did for your friend? You know my mother is not
always very accurate in telling a story. I shall understand why you
did it."
He had known that she would, and he told her the story, a little less
baldly than he had told her mother, yet leaving out such details as
she need not hear. He hesitated a little, once or twice.
"I understand," she repeated, watching him with innocent eyes. "She
felt just as if they were really married, and he could not bear to
die, feeling that she would be without protection, and that other men
would all want to marry her, because she was beautiful. And her father
and mother were angry because she loved him so much."
"Yes," Malipieri answered, smiling, "that was it. They loved each
other dearly."
"It was splendid of you," she said. "I never dreamt that any man would
do such a thing."
"It cannot be undone." He was at least free to say that much, sadly.
There was a pause, and they looked away from each other. At last
Sabina laid her hand lightly upon his for a moment, though she did not
turn her face to him.
"I should not like you so much, if you wished to undo it," she said.
"Thank you," he answered, withdrawing the hand she released when she
had finished speaking, and folding it upon his other.
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