The lamp stood at the left
side; and in front was the great uncurtained window. As her eyes looked
to the stars, it was as if their eyes flashed brightly back, through
rents in the black veil of cloud.
"What am I to say to Vanno?" she asked herself.
The first hopefulness grasped as a crutch for failing courage had broken
down hours ago. At best it had been something unseen to which she might
cling in the dark. She had said: "By and by I shall know what to do. I
won't give him up. I shall tell him I'm innocent. He'll believe in me
without any proof." But now she was face to face with the great
question, and must meet point after point as it was presented to her
mind.
She had promised Marie to keep the secret. She had sworn by her love for
Vanno and Vanno's love for her that she would not tell him nor any one;
that she would not even speak out in confession to a priest. Yes! But
when she promised she did not dream that her whole future happiness and
perhaps Vanno's would depend upon the issue. Surely she could not be
expected to sacrifice everything for Marie, who had betrayed her, who
had made the cruellest use of a friend's loyalty. The most severe judge
would grant the right to tell Vanno the history of this day: what Marie
had done; and how in spite of all, even when Angelo insulted her, she,
Mary, had kept silence for the sake of the family honour and peace.
The girl told herself this; but deep down, under the repeated assurances
which she forced upon her conscience, a whisper made itself clearly
heard.
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