“No, no, we must talk now!” cried Sonia. “You must know.... I must tell ... Oh, dear! ... Oh, dear! ... I don’t know how to tell you.... And then it is so unfair.... she ... Germaine ... she has everything,” she panted. “Yesterday, before me, you gave her that pendant, ... she smiled ... she was proud of it.... I saw her pleasure.... Then I took it—I took it—I took it! And if I could, I’d take her fortune, too.... I hate her! Oh, how I hate her!” “What!” said the Duke. “Yes, I do ... I hate her!” said Sonia; and her eyes, no longer gentle, glowed with the sombre resentment, the dull rage of the weak who turn on Fortune. Her gentle voice was harsh with rebellious wrath. “You hate her?” said the Duke quickly. “I should never have told you that.... But now I dare.... I dare speak out.... It’s you! ... It’s you—” The avowal died on her lips. A burning flush crimsoned her cheeks and faded as quickly as it came: “I hate her!” she muttered. “Sonia—” said the Duke gently. “Oh! I know that it’s no excuse.... I know that you’re thinking ‘This is a very pretty story, but it’s not her first theft’; ... and it’s true—it’s the tenth, ... perhaps it’s the twentieth.... It’s true—I am a thief.” She paused, and the glow deepened in her eyes. “But there’s one thing you must believe—you shall believe; since you came, since I’ve known you, since the first day you set eyes on me, I have stolen no more ... till yesterday when you gave her the pendant before me. I could not bear it ... I could not.” She paused and looked at him with eyes that demanded an assent. “I believe you,” said the Duke gravely. She heaved a deep sigh of relief, and went on more quietly—some of its golden tone had returned to her voice: “And then, if you knew how it began ... the horror of it,” she said. “Poor child!” said the Duke softly. “Yes, you pity me, but you despise me—you despise me beyond words. You shall not! I will not have it!” she cried fiercely. “Believe me, no,” said the Duke, in a soothing tone. “Listen,” said Sonia. “Have you ever been alone—alone in the world? ... Have you ever been hungry? Think of it ... in this big city where I was starving in sight of bread ... bread in the shops .... One only had to stretch out one’s hand to touch it ... a penny loaf. Oh, it’s commonplace!” she broke off: “quite commonplace!” “Go on: tell me,” said the Duke curtly. “There was one way I could make money and I would not do it: no, I would not,” she went on. “But that day I was dying ... understand, I was dying ....I went to the rooms of a man I knew a little. It was my last resource. At first I was glad ... he gave me food and wine ... and then, he talked to me ... he offered me money.” “What!” cried the Duke; and a sudden flame of anger flared up in his eyes.