"I saw it suddenly in the princess's face, one day in Petersburg--a sort
of revelation. I read it there, and she saw me reading. I should have
liked to keep it from you, for your sake as well as for hers. Our daily
life is made possible only by the fact that we know so little of our
neighbors. There are many things of which we are better ignorant right
up to the end. This might have been one of them. But De Chauxville found
it out, and it is better that I should tell you than he."
Paul did not look around. The wolf-hound was still barking at its own
echo--a favorite pastime of those who make a great local stir in the
world.
"Of course," said Paul, after a long pause, "I have been a great fool. I
know that. But--"
He turned and looked at Steinmetz with haggard eyes.
"But I would rather go on being a fool than suspect any one of a
deception like this."
Steinmetz was still making patterns on the blotting-pad.
"It is difficult for us men," he said slowly, "to look at these things
from a woman's point of view. They hold a different sense of honor from
ours--especially if they are beautiful. And the fault is
ours--especially toward the beautiful ones. There may have been
temptations of which we are ignorant."
Paul was still looking at him. Steinmetz looked up slowly, and saw that
he had grown ten years older in the last few minutes.
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