She gave a long sigh, turned away from him, leaned her arm against the side of the fireplace, and laid her old face against the arm and began to cry helplessly. It was the most pitiful sight imaginable, and yet he could do nothing to comfort her, dared not even go near her. In a dim, forlorn fashion he seemed to see passing before him all that had happened in that very room--the riotous feasts, when he had been a child--the sound of merry laughter; he even seemed to see himself as he had once stood on the table, singing a foolish song, with the captain watching him silently; he could hear his own childish treble, could feel again the old woman's hand grasping his ankle. And now the room was empty and the generous-hearted old creature, the giver of the feast, who had craved only for his love in return for all her bounty, was crying hopelessly over her shattered idol. Presently she ceased her weeping and turned upon him with a certain sad fierceness of manner. "Have I ever denied you anything, boy? Was I so much in your way or had you given me so little of your love that you must long for the time when you could step into possession? O God! for the dream I have lost! Why, you're worse than any murderer--for the things you have killed in me to-night! I honestly believe that that is the unpardonable sin--to kill some trusting fellow-creature's belief in you." "Don't, don't!" he cried; "you'll break my heart!" "And what of mine; did you think nothing of that? I swear to you that if you had come to me and had told me that you were in want or in difficulties I'd have helped you if I'd had to mortgage everything I possessed. Your income has been a large one; it passes my comprehension to know what you've done with the money; I'm quite afraid to think. However, that's all done with; I'll never believe in any human creature again. I believed in you with all my heart and soul; I saw in you, or thought I did, something better and truer than in any one else. Now I find my mistake. Thinking over it now, I see what a fool I've been. I remember those days on the Continent when we were travelling about, and when your money went more rapidly than I could put it in your hands. I didn't mind then; I thought you didn't know the value of it, but would learn in time. Now your chance to learn is gone. You and I part to-night!"