she
could not tell. One thing seemed evident to her, and that was that,
whether delirious or not, he took her for another person. But she was
so full of pity for him, and so very tender-hearted, that her only idea
was to "humor" him.

"Oh," he cried again, "can this all be true, and have all my
suspicions been as mad as these last? And _you_--how _you_ have
changed! How beautiful you are! What tenderness there is in your
glance--what a pure and gentle and touching grace there is in your
expression! I swear to you, by Heaven! I have stood gazing at you in
places where you have not seen me, and thought I saw heaven in your
face, and worshiped you in my inmost soul. This is the reason why I
have followed you. From the time I saw you when you came into the room
at Naples till this night I could not get rid of your image. I fought
against the feeling, but I can not overcome it. Never, never were you
half so dear as you are now!"

Now, of course, that was all very well, considered as the language of
an estranged husband seeking for reconciliation with an estranged
wife; but when one regards it simply as the language of a passionate
lover directed to a young and exceedingly pretty widow, one will
perceive that it was _not_ all very well, and that under ordinary
circumstances it might create a sensation.

Upon Mrs. Willoughby the sensation was simply tremendous. She had
begun by "humoring" the delirious man; but now she found his delirium
taking a course which was excessively embarrassing. The worst of it
was, there was truth enough in his language to increase the
embarrassment. She remembered at once how the mournful face of this
man had appeared before her in different places. Her thoughts
instantly reverted to that evening on the balcony when his pale face
appeared behind the fountain. There was truth in his words; and her
heart beat with extraordinary agitation at the thought. Yet at the
same time there was some mistake about it all; and he was clearly
delirious.

"Oh, Heavens!" he cried. "Can you ever forgive me? Is there a
possibility of it? Oh, can you forgive me? Can you--can you?"

He was clearly delirious now. Her heart was full of pity for him. He
was suffering too. He was bound fast. Could she not release him? It
was terrible for this man to lie there bound thus. And perhaps he had
fallen into the hands of these ruffians while trying to save _her_ and
her sister. She must free him.

"Would you like to be lo