How gladly Gerty would have welcomed the ministry of healing: how willingly have soothed the sufferer back to tolerance of life! But Lily's self-betrayal took this last hope from her.

The mortal maid on the shore is helpless against the siren who loves her prey: such victims are floated back dead from their adventure.
Lily sprang up and caught her with strong hands.

"Gerty, you know him--you understand him--tell me; if I went to him, if I told him everything--if I said: 'I am bad through and through--I want admiration, I want excitement, I want money--' yes, MONEY! That's my shame, Gerty--and it's known, it's said of me--it's what men think of me--If I said it all to him--told him the whole story--said plainly: 'I've sunk lower than the lowest, for I've taken what they take, and not paid as they pay'-- oh, Gerty, you know him, you can speak for him: if I told him everything would he loathe me?
Or would he pity me, and understand me, and save me from loathing myself ?" Gerty stood cold and passive.

She knew the hour of her probation had come, and her poor heart beat wildly against its destiny.

As a dark river sweeps by under a lightning flash, she saw her chance of happiness surge past under a flash of temptation.