"I've never wanted to until now," Julia said. "And I--I am so changed
now that somehow I would never think of that--that bad old time, in
connection with marriage! It was as if that part of my life was sealed
beyond opening again--
"And then you came. I only wanted no one to guess that I cared at first.
And then, when I saw that you were beginning to care, too, oh, my God! I
thought my heart would burst!"
And with sudden terrible passion in her voice, she got up in her turn
and began to pace the room. Jim, who had flung himself into a chair
opposite hers, rested his elbows on the table, and his face in his
hands.
"But I feel this about your caring for me, Jim," Julia said. "In a
strange, mysterious way I feel that giving you up--giving you up, my
best and dearest, is purification! When--when this is over, I shall have
paid! It may be"--tears flooded her eyes, and she came back to her chair
and laid her head on her arm--"it may be that I can't bear it, and that
I will die!" sobbed Julia. "But I shall always be glad that I told you
this to-night!" There was a long silence, and then again Jim came to
kneel beside her, and put one arm about her.
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