She had witnessed a conflict between two men who held her liberty in their hands, her very life and that of her child; one had sought to drag her deeper into darkness, the other to restore her to light. The two contestants, in the heightened vision of her terror, had seemed like giants, one speaking with the voice of a demon, the other in the tones of an angel. The angel had won, and what caused her to tremble from head to foot was the fact that this rescuing angel was the man she abhorred, the abominable mayor whom for so long she had regarded as the author of her troubles. He had saved her after she had most outrageously insulted him!
In this scene, the protagonist finds herself in a dire conflict between two powerful men who hold her fate in their hands. One man represents darkness and despair, while the other brings hope and salvation. Through her fear, they appear as monumental figures, with one embodying malevolence and the other divine kindness. Ultimately, the one she perceives as her savior triumphs.
This unexpected twist reveals the complexity of her emotions, as the man who rescues her is someone she has deeply despised, viewing him as the source of her suffering. Despite her previous derogatory treatment of him, he saves her when she least expects it, highlighting the ironic nature of her circumstances in the midst of inner turmoil.