At first, she fancied the murderers inflicted this kind of torture on her out of sheer diabolical cruelty.

Her sole means of defence was to close her eyes, as soon as her niece knelt before her, then although she heard, she did not see her.
Therese, at last, had the impudence to kiss her aunt.

One day, in a fit of repentance, she feigned she had perceived a gleam of mercy in the eyes of the paralysed woman; and she dragged herself along on her knees, she raised herself up, exclaiming in a distracted tone: "You forgive me! You forgive me!" Then she kissed the forehead and cheeks of the poor old creature, who was unable to throw her head backward so as to avoid the embrace.

The cold skin on which Therese placed her lips, caused her violent disgust.
She fancied this disgust, like the tears of remorse, would be an excellent remedy to appease her nerves; and she continued to kiss the impotent old woman daily, by way of penitence, and also to relieve herself.
"Oh! How good you are!" she sometimes exclaimed.

"I can see my tears have touched you.