midnight
Helena sat silent , looking fixedly ahead through the glass at the driver 's back ; nor did I find words myself . In truth , I was as one now carried forward on the wings of adventure itself , with small plans , and no duty beyond taking each situation as it might later come . A dull feeling that I had sinned beyond forgiveness came upon me , a conviction that my brutality to one thus innocent and tender had passed all limits of atonement . She could never forgive me now , I felt ; and what was almost as intolerable in the reflection , I could not forgive myself , could not find any specious argument longer to justify myself in thus harrying the sensibilities of a woman such as this one who now sat beside me in this mad midnight errand , proud , pale and silent . Slowly I sought to adjust myself to the thought of defeat , to the feeling that my presumption now had o'er-leaped itself . Yes , I must say good-by to her , must release her ; and this time , as I well knew , forever . But , though I turned toward her half a dozen times in these few minutes , she made no response to what she must have known was my demand upon her attention .