“I beg your pardon for letting you see a face like this! What a state I am in, am I not? It’s the other one’s fault ! Why did he ring? Do I ask people who pass to tell me the time? He will never ask anybody the time again! It is the siren’s fault.”

Another sigh, deeper, more tremendous still, came from the abysmal depths of a soul.

“Why did you cry out, Christine?”

“Because I am in pain, Erik.”

“I thought I had frightened you.”

“Erik, unloose my bonds.⁠ ⁠… Am I not your prisoner?”

“You will try to kill yourself again.”

“You have given me till eleven o’clock tomorrow evening, Erik.”