Was she at all such as I had believed, if she could carry on an underhand and forbidden love-making with Herdegen behind my back; and this, Merciful Virgin, peradventure, for years past! The taper had burnt out.

We lay side by side striving to sleep, while distress of mind and a wounded heart brought the tears into my eyes.
Then I heard a strange noise from her bed, and was aware that Ann likewise was weeping, more bitterly and deeply every minute.

This pierced the very depths of my soul.

Yet I tried to harden my heart till I heard her voice saying: "Margery!" That was an end of our silence, and I answered: "Ann." Then she sobbed out: "As we came home from the hunt he made me promise never to reveal it, but it is bursting my heart.

Oh! Margery, Margery, I ought to hide and bury it in my soul; so he bid me, and nevertheless...." I sat up on the pillow as if new life had come to me, and cried: "Oh Ann, you can tell me nothing that I know not already, for I saw him dismount and how he embraced you." And then, before I was aware of her, she leaped up and was kneeling on her knees by the head of my bed, and her lips were kissing mine, and her cheeks were against my face and her tears running down my cheeks and neck and bosom while she confessed all.