Volume VI Part 92 (2/2)

I was pleased with this extraordinary visit, forable to resist all her arts

I therefore told her politely enough that I considered her as already justified and that I should be obliged by her leaving o to sleep

”Not before you have heard what I have to say”

”Go on; I aan a discourse which I did not interrupt, and which lasted for a good hour

She spoke very artfully, and after confessing she had done wrong she said that at e I should have been ready to overlook the follies of a young and passionate girl According to her it was all weakness, and pardonable at such an age

”I swear I love you,” said she, ”and I would have given you good proof before now if I had not been so unfortunate as to love the young Christian you saith me, while he does not care for me in the least; indeed I have to pay him

”In spite of irl can give but once I had not seen him for six months, and it was your fault that I sent for hi wines”

The end of it all was that I ought to forget everything, and treat her kindly during the few days I was to remain there

When she finished I did not allow myself toher that I felt I had been in the wrong in letting her see Aretin's figures, and that I would no longer evince any resentment towards her

As her explanation did not see about the weakness of the flesh, the strength of self-love which often hushes the voice of passion, etc, etc; her ai to persuade iven with the idea of iven her a greatI made up , and then by refusing all her advances I reckoned on abasing her to the uttermost Nevertheless, she made no motion; her hands were at rest, and she kept her face at a due distance frole, she leftto be perfectly satisfied hat she had done

As soon as she had gone, I congratulated myself on the fact that she had confined herself to verbal persuasion; for if she had gone further she would probably have achieved a coh ere in the dark

I must mention that before she left me I had to promise to allow her toshe came for the stick of chocolate She was in a coh if she chose to look towards the bed she ht have seen that I ide awake

I , and resolved to be equal to all her wiles When she brought the chocolate I noticed that there were two cups on the tray, and I said,--

”Then it is not true that you don't like chocolate?”

”I feel obliged to relieve you of all fear of being poisoned”

I noticed that she was now dressed with the utmost decency, while half an hour before she had only her che perfectly bare The ain the victory, the more firmly I was determined to humiliate her, as it appeared to me the only other alternative would have been my shame and dishonour; and this turned me to stone

In spite of my resolves, Leah renewed the attack at dinner, for, contrary tome that it was for herself, and that if she were poisoned she would die of pleasure; Mardocheus said he should like to die too, and began regaling hihing, and announced my wish to taste the deadly food, and so we all of us were eating it

”Your resolves are not strong enough to withstand seduction,” said Leah

This remark piqued me, and I answered that she was ins in such a h when the time came

A faint smile played about her lips