Page:Dellada - The Woman and the Priest, 1922.djvu/229

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THE WOMAN AND THE PRIEST

you will come to Mass and together we will offer our sacrifice to God."

She opened her eyes and looked at him, then closed them again. She was as one wounded to death, whose eyes had opened wide with a last menace and appeal before they closed for ever.

"You will go away to-night, quite away, so that I shall never see you again," she said, pronouncing each word distinctly and decisively, and he realized that for the moment at least it was useless to oppose that blind force.

"I cannot go like that," he murmured: "I must say Mass to-morrow morning and you will come and hear it, and afterwards I will go away, if necessary."

"Then I shall come to-morrow morning and denounce you before all the congregation."

"If you do that it will be a sign that it is God's will. But you won't do it, Agnes! You may hate me, but I leave you in peace. Good-bye."

Even yet he did not go. He stood quite

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