Pagina 578 de 788

"How easily a man may ruin the happiness of others in a single

instant; and in a long lifetime he cannot restore it! One word

from the Pantler, and how happy we should have been! Who knows?

Perhaps we should be living still; perhaps he too, with his

beloved child-with his fair Eva-and with her grateful husband,

would have grown old in peace! perhaps he would have rocked to

sleep his grandchildren! But now? He has destroyed us both-and he

himself-and that murder-and all the consequences of that crime,

all my sufferings and transgressions! I have no right to accuse

him, I am his slayer; I have no right to accuse him, I forgive

him from my heart-but he too--

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