human
Not that that fact will whitewash me in your eyes; not that I wasn't working for myself, too, and not that I'm trying to make more excuses by explaining this. But I'd like you to understand, at least for the sake of your own pride, that you haven't been cheated into loving and living with a common thief. Does that make it hurt less?
gpt
No, she said in a strange tone which made her voice sound like that of an old woman.
human
That doesn't make it hurt less. It makes no difference. I think nothing can ever make any difference. My life is--over.
gpt
Don't, for God's sake, say that! Don't force me to feel a murderer!
human
There's nothing else to say. I wish I could die to-night.
gpt
If one of us is to die, he said,
human
I should have known.
gpt
But if you had, it would have been a relief----
human
No. Because I--I hadn't heard the truth. I didn't understand at all. I thought you had done _one_ unscrupulous thing. I didn't dream your whole life was--what it is. I loved you as much as ever. It would have broken my heart if you----
gpt
But now that you don't love me, it wouldn't break your heart.
human
I don't seem to have any heart, Annesley sighed.
gpt
It feels as if it had crumbled to dust. But it would break my life if you ended yours. If anything could be worse than what is, it would be that.
human
Very well, you can rid yourself of me in another way, the man answered.
gpt
You can denounce me--give me up to 'justice.' If you hand over the Malindore diamond to Ruthven Smith and tell him how you got it----
human
You must know I wouldn't do that!
gpt
Why not?
human
Because I--couldn't.
gpt
It needn't spoil your life. No one could blame you. I would tell the story of how I deceived you. You could free yourself--get a divorce----
human
Don't! the girl cut him short.
gpt
I'm not thinking of myself. I'm thinking of you. I can't love you again, and I wouldn't if I could, now that I--know. You're a different man. The one I loved doesn't exist and never did; yet you've told me your secret, and I'm bound to keep it. I don't need to stop and reflect about that. But as for what's to become of me, and how we're to manage not to let people guess that everything's changed, I don't know! I must think. I must think all to-night, until to-morrow. Perhaps by that time I can decide. Now--I beg of you to go and leave me--this moment. I can't bear any more and live.