"So you did. And so he is. He was very communicative last night, and
told me more of his life. You remember his breaking off here about some
woman that he had had great trouble with.--Did I hurt you?"

I had started, but not under his touch. His words had given me a start.

"I had forgotten that, Herbert, but I remember it now you speak of it."

"Well! He went into that part of his life, and a dark wild part it is.
Shall I tell you? Or would it worry you just now?"

"Tell me by all means. Every word."

Herbert bent forward to look at me more nearly, as if my reply had been
rather more hurried or more eager than he could quite account for. "Your
head is cool?" he said, touching it.

"Quite," said I. "Tell me what Provis said, my dear Herbert."

"It seems," said Herbert, "--there's a bandage off most charmingly, and
now comes the cool one,--makes you shrink at first, my poor dear fellow,
don't it? but it will be comfortable presently,--it seems that the
woman was a young woman, and a jealous woman, and a revengeful woman;
revengeful, Handel, to the last degree."

"To what last degree?"

"Murder.--Does it strike too cold on that sensitive place?"

"I don't feel it. How did she murder? Whom did she murder?" "Why, the
deed may not have merited quite so terrible a name," said Herbert, "but,
she was tried for it, and Mr. Jaggers defended her, and the reputation
of that defence first made his name known to Provis. It was another and
a stronger woman who was the victim, and there had been a struggle--in a
barn. Who began it, or how fair it was, or how unfair, may be doubtful;
but how it ended is certainly not doubtful, for the victim was found
throttled."

"Was the woman brought in guilty?"

"No; she was acquitted.--My poor Handel, I hurt you!"

"It is impossible to be gentler, Herbert. Yes? What else?"

"This acquitted young woman and Provis had a little child; a little
child of whom Provis was exceedingly fond. On the evening of the very
night when the object of her jealousy was strangled as I tell you, the
young woman presented herself before Provis for one moment, and swore
that she would destroy the child (which was in her possession), and he
should never see it again; then she vanished.--There's the worst arm
comfortably in the sling once more, and now there remains but the right
hand, which is a far easier job. I can do it better by this light
than by a stronger, for my hand is steadiest when I don't see th