.. O yes, I have lost him now--again because
of--you!" In writhing, with her head on the chair, she turned her
face towards the door, and Mrs Brooks could see the pain upon it,
and that her lips were bleeding from the clench of her teeth upon
them, and that the long lashes of her closed eyes stuck in wet tags
to her cheeks. She continued: "And he is dying--he looks as if he
is dying! ... And my sin will kill him and not kill me! ... O, you
have torn my life all to pieces ... made me be what I prayed you in
pity not to make me be again! ... My own true husband will never,
never--O God--I can't bear this!--I cannot!"
There were more and sharper words from the man; then a sudden rustle;
she had sprung to her feet. Mrs Brooks, thinking that the speaker
was coming to rush out of the door, hastily retreated down the
stairs.
She need not have done so, however, for the door of the sitting-room
was not opened. But Mrs Brooks felt it unsafe to watch on the
landing again, and entered her own parlour below.
She could hear nothing through the floor, although she listened
intently, and thereupon went to the kitchen to finish her interrupted
breakfast. Coming up presently to the front room on the ground floor
she took up some sewing, waiting for her lodgers to ring that she
might take away the breakfast, which she meant to do herself, to
discover what was the matter if possible.
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