Pagina 314 di 416

"Nat is a weak nature, because uncontrolled, and when weak

natures do wrong they suffer agonies of fear that they will be

found out. Nat committed this double crime in a momentary

passion. Then as the weeks passed by and the village talked of

nothing else, he finally began to fear that he would be found

out.

"There was no one who could have found him out, but there was

that haunting terror of the weak nature.

"Somebody spoke a word, perhaps in jest, that you must have

wanted a new schooner since the May's policy was to run out so

soon, and he seized the thought in a frenzy of joy and began to

spread rumors. This grip on you gave him courage. He remembered

that his revenge against you was still unsatisfied and it became

clear to him that perhaps, after all, he could get one much more

complete.