She too needed friends--she had tasted the pang of loneliness; and her resentment of Bertha Dorset's cruelty softened her heart to the poor wretch who was after all the chief of Bertha's victims.
"I still wish to be kind; I feel no ill-will toward you," she said.

"But you must understand that after what has happened we can't be friends again--we can't see each other." "Ah, you ARE kind--you're merciful--you always were!" He fixed his miserable gaze on her.

"But why can't we be friends--why not, when I've repented in dust and ashes?
Isn't it hard that you should condemn me to suffer for the falseness, the treachery of others?
I was punished enough at the time--is there to be no respite for me ?" "I should have thought you had found complete respite in the reconciliation which was effected at my expense," Lily began, with renewed impatience; but he broke in imploringly: "Don't put it in that way--when that's been the worst of my punishment.

My God! what could I do--wasn't I powerless?
You were singled out as a sacrifice: any word I might have said would have been turned against you----" "I have told you I don't blame you; all I ask you to understand is that, after the use Bertha chose to make of me--after all that her behaviour has since implied--it's impossible that you and I should meet." He continued to stand before her, in his dogged weakness.

"Is it--need it be?
Mightn't there be circumstances---- ?" he checked himself, slashing at the wayside weeds in a wider radius.