Page:Madame Butterfly; Purple eyes; A gentleman of Japan and a lady; Kito; Glory (1904).djvu/235

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GLORY
219

"Forgive me—you are innocent. I am not. God help me! I have eaten of the tree of knowledge."

"Oh, Shaka! Jus' one minute ago I was that happy!" She sat up again, though she did not raise her head. "Ah, Ji-Saburo, all the days, an' nights, an' months, an' years I have waited an' prayed. Alas! the gods have both answered an' denied my prayers—for I asked only to see you. I did not dream—dream that you would make me that happy that you might wish for marry me. Oh, all the gods in the sky! if I had jus' dreamed those—I should have been a nun for you, Ji-Saburo—a nun." She looked slowly, avariciously, up at him. " An' you are more splendid than I even dream you. An' I—when you see me I am jus'—evil. Forgive me, Ani-San. I would die rather than make you thing—regret—" she sighed. "Jus"—jus' I shall always be sad in hereafter. An' will you be a liddle kine to me—oh, jus' a liddle—account I got be always sad? "

He took her hands gently and said yes.

"An' you go'n' say farewell? Ah, Ji-Saburo, can you not kiss me? Jus' this once more? It was so sweet! Loog! I thing jus' that liddle while ago that you go'n' to