The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-06-23
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Then she turned her head away again.
III you knew what justice means for
me- you would not ask me to be Just.
You would be more merciful."
"You exaggerate--"
mo. You do not know. that is all.
And you can never guess"
She relapsed into silence. Before
her rose the dim altar in the church,
the shadowy figure OF Beatri ;e stand
Ing up In the dark. the horrible sacri-
lege that was TO have been done. Her
face grew dark with dread OF her own
soul. The Wanderer went so far us
TO try and distract her from her
gloomy thoughts, out Of pure kindness
OF heart.
aYou see. ! the Wanderer said,
gently, II am to blame for it all"
'.For it ALP No-not for the thou
sandth part OF it all. What blame
have you in being what you are?
Blame God In heaven-for making
such u a Blame me for what you
know, blame me for all that you will
not let me tell you. Blame Kafas !,
his mad belief in me and ,ws
Arabian. for the rest-but -.
blame yourself-oh. no! No4r
do not talk like that, UlArna."
he said. 'Be just first /"
II am no theologian. The said, .sbut
| fancy that in the long reckoning the
intention goes for than the act.
The intention" she cried, looking
back with a start. .tIf that be true"
With a shudder she buried her face
in her two hands. pressing them to
her eyes as though to blind them to
some awful sight. Then. with a short
struggle, she turned to him again.
There is no forgiveness for me in
heaven" she said. Shall there be
none on earth? Not even a little from
you to me-"
There is no question of forgive
Q between you and me. You
have not injured me, but Israel KAT
ka. Judge for yourself which Of us
two. he or !, has anything to forgive.
l am to-day what l vas yesterday and
may be tomorrow. He lies there
dying of his love for you. If ever a
man died for love. And as though
that were not enough you have tor
tured him-well. [ will not speak OF
it. But that is all. I know nothing
OF the deeds or intentions of which
you accuse yourself. You are tired,
overweight. worn out with all this
what shall l sayP 1t is natural
enough. / suppose"
You say there is no question OF
forgiveness" she said. in~terrupting
him, but speaking more calmly.
VIVA is 1t. them"
Il wish that the thing had not been
done. / wish that l had not seen
what l saw to-day. We should be
where we were this morning-and he
perhaps would not be here"
lit must have come some day."
Unorna said. He must have seen
that | loved-that 1 loved you. Is
there any use in not speaking plainly
nowp How poor it sounds. now that
] have said it! You do not ever be-
lieve me-"
.'You are wrong. I know that you
are in earnest"
s.How do you know"' she asked,
bitterly. ..Have l never lied to you.
1t you believe me you would forgive
me.
Il have nothing to forgive" the
Wanderer said, almost YEARLY. II
have told you you have not injured
me, but him."
'But 1t meant a whole world to
memo. for / am nothing to you-but
il 1t cost you nothing. but the little
breath that can carry the three words
would you say itp Is it much to
sayP Is it like saying, l love you, or,
I honour you, respect you? It is SO
little. and would can so much"
ITO me it a mean nothing, unless
you ask me to forgive you deeds of
which l know nothing. And then it
means still less to me-
VIII you say it-only say the three
words once?"
II forgive you," said the Wanderer
quietly. 1t cost him nothing, and, to
him, meant less.
Unorna bent her head and was ST.
lent 1t was something to have heard
him say it. though he could not guess
the least of the sins which she had
made it include.
1T was good of you to say it," she
said, at last.
4 long silence followed. during
which the thoughts OF each went their
own way. Suddenly Israel Kafka
stirred in his sleep. The Wandsrer
went quickly forward and knelt down
beside him and arranged the silken
pillow as best he could.
When Unorna looked up at last she
saw that the Wanderer was asleep.
At first she was surprised, in spite of
what she had said to him half an hour
earlier, for she herself could not have
closed her eyes, and felt that she
could never close them again. Then
she sighed. 1t was but one proof
more of his supreme Indifference. He
had not sven cared to speak to her.
and II she had not constantly spoken
to him throughout the hours they had
passed together he would perhaps
have been sleeping long before now.
She bent down ~ she stood and
touched his cool forehead with her