her a service by going to this
rendezvous, might learn something from him, and use it against him.

So she went to the rendezvous with a heart full of bitter hate.

Bassett, with all his assurance, could not begin his interrogatory all
in a moment. He made a sort of apology, said he felt he had been
unkind, and he had never been happy since he had deserted her.

She cut that short. "I have found a better than you," said she. "I am
going to London very soon--to be married."

"I am glad to hear it."

"No doubt you are."

"I mean for your sake."

"For my sake? You think as little of me as I do of you. Come, now, what
do you want of me--without a lie, if you _can?"_

"I wanted to see you, and talk to you, and hear your prospects."

"Well, I have told you." And she pretended to be going.

"Don't be in such a hurry. Tell us the news. Is it true that Lady
Bassett is expected--"

"Oh, that is no news."

"It is to me."

"'Tain't no news in our house. Why, we have known it for months."

This took away the man's breath for a minute.

At last he said, with a great deal of intention:

"Will it be fair or dark?"

"As God pleases."

"I'll bet you five pounds to one that it is dark."

Mary shrugged her shoulders contemptuously, as if these speculations
were too childish for her.

"It's my lady you want to talk about, is it? I thought it was to make
me a wedding present."

He actually put his hand in his pocket and gave her two sovereigns. She
took them with a grim smile.

He presumed on this to question her minutely.

She submitted to the interrogatory.

Only, as the questions were not always delicate, and the answer was
invariably an untruth, it may be as well to pass over the rest of the
dialogue. Suffice it to say that, whenever the girl saw the drift of a
question she lied admirably; and when she did not, still she lied upon
principle: it must be a good thing to deceive the enemy.

Richard Bassett was now perplexed, and saw himself in that very
position which had so galled Lady Bassett six weeks or so before. He
could not make any advantageous move, but was obliged to await events.
All he could do was to spy a little on Lady Bassett, and note how often
she went to the asylum.

After many days' watching he saw something new.

Mr. Angelo was speaking to her with a good deal of warmth, when
suddenly she started from him, and then turned round upon him in a very
commanding attitude, and with pro