"I've found where the Banches live. It's only
two squares from where Etta is now living."
"But Harrie?" I turned off the light behind me.
"He is with Etta. He was taken ill on Christmas night. Except the
doctor, no one knows he is with her. He would have been dead by now
had it not been for Etta, the doctor says. He had pneumonia. Mr.
Guard and Mr. Crimm have gone to see him to-night, to see when he can
be moved away."
"And Etta--what will become of her?"
Mrs. Mundy looked into the fire. "What can become of any girl like
that but to go back to the old life? She's an outcast forever."
"And he--" I got up. All the repression of past ages was breaking
into revolt. "He will go home and feed on the leaven of Pharisees
and hypocrites, and later he will marry a girl of his world, and the
world that will give him welcome will keep Etta in her hell. I
wonder sometimes that God doesn't give us up--we who call ourselves
clean and good! We are a lot of cowards, most of us women, of
'fraid-cats and cowards!"
My hands made gesture, and, going to the window, I looked out,
ashamed of my outburst.
Pages:
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302