THE SWEET-SCENTED NAME
measured beat of life bored me and I did what he advocates. I made a daring, but a false, note."
The old professor shook his fine grey head and smiled as he said gently:
"No, Agnes, you have played your part well. Your partner has never been put out of tune through your mistakes."
But the old lady showed still greater agitation. She nearly wept as she said:
"No, no, Edward, you don't know. I have been silent for a long time, but to-day I have resolved to tell you all. And that's the reason why Doctor Horn hasn't come."
And still trembling, and with difficulty keeping back her tears, the old lady began hurriedly to tell the story of what had happened to her so many years before, on one clear and perfumed night of May, when she had deceived her husband and allowed his friend Bernard Horn to make love to her.
VI
"It was in the third year of our married life," said Agnes. "We lived here during the first summer, and there were few other visitors, so it was sometimes difficult to get provisions. But because our young friend
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