walked away into the garden. As
for myself, I remained for a long time leaning against the balustrade,
immovable as a statue of stone. When I found myself quite alone,
I could not suppress a cry of grief. Yes, my grandfather had read
me! I loved--I loved with passion, and all at once I discovered my
passion to be a crime. And he, had he not deceived me by leaving me in
ignorance of what it was most important for me to know? Ought he not to
have foreseen the danger into which he was leading me by his kind and
affectionate treatment? Without doubt he felt himself invulnerable;
without doubt he still loved his absent wife. It is true that with
his kind manners he always maintained a certain reserve with me; once,
indeed, and once only, he had kissed my hand with marks of tenderness
for some attention or other I had shown him. That night I could not
sleep for joy; on the morrow, however, he resumed his habitual reserve.

"My first idea was to go and reproach him to his face for what I
considered his deception towards me; but he was not at home, and
would not return before dinner. At table I could not help showing
him how much my feelings towards him had changed. This he observed,
and when the other gentlemen lit their cigars after dinner, instead
of following me to the drawing-room, as was his wont, he took a cigar
and stayed with them. I remembered that I could smoke also, and I
followed his example. I saw him frown; he threw away his cigar, and
invited me to go with him to his study. This was just what I wanted.

"'What is the matter with you, Miss Francis?' he asked. 'I cannot
understand the reason for this change in your behaviour towards me.'

"'On a little reflection, my lord, you will easily discover the
reason. You know how much I love plain-speaking.'

"'Very good.'

"'What can I think of you when I hear from other people that you
are married?'

"I saw he grew pale, but he answered with great coldness--

"'Has Sir John only just told you that? and why to-day above all
others?'

"'Sir John has told me nothing; I have heard it by accident. By
accident, you understand, my lord, and now I think I have the right
to hear from your own lips more particulars about your wife.'

"He drew back some paces; his features became so contracted under an
expression of violent suffering that I myself was afraid. For a time
he was silent, pacing up and down the room; and finally he said to me,
with a mingling of sadness an