ere
wont to make private assignations with Miss Lettice Campion, and that
you had been seen dropping from her window, here in Brook Green, at
midnight. What do you think of that, for example?"

"Vile wretch!" said Alan. "Your malice has robbed you of your senses.
Who would believe you?"

"Do not be a child. Are you English, and do you ask who would believe a
woman telling these tales of a man? Do you not know that men are ruined
every day in England by the lies of women? The better the man, the more
abandoned the woman, the more incredible her lies, so much the more
certain is his condemnation. Bah, you know it! I should not hesitate
about the lies, and, if I made them sufficiently repulsive, your noble
countrymen would not hesitate to believe them. Do you doubt it? What
think you of my plan?"

He made no answer; he was trying to command himself.

"Now, tell me! Shall I have my money as usual?"

"Before I left the house," he said, "I had resolved that the money ought
to be paid to you. So long as you are my wife, you ought not to starve."

"Good! It is an annuity for life!"

"No. I would give a hand or an eye to be free from you."

"They would be useless to me, my dear. Would you give the fair fame of
Lettice? It will cost no less."

"Let that pass!"

"Yes, we will let that pass. Then, I receive my money as usual?"

"Go to Mr. Larmer to-morrow; he will pay it."

"I hate this Mr. Larmer--he is an animal without manners. But no matter.
I am glad you are reasonable, my friend. You buy a respite for a few
weeks. I shall forget you with all my heart--until I have a migraine,
and suddenly remember you again. But it is too cheap; I cannot live
decently on this paltry sum. Good-bye, my child--and gare
aux-migraines!"

She was gone, and Alan was left alone. He had dug his nails into the
palms of his hands, in the effort to restrain himself, until the blood
came; and long after the mocking fiend had departed he sat silent on the
bench, half-stupefied with rage and despair.

Was he really the coward that he felt himself, to listen to her
shameless threats, and tremble at the thought of her machinations?
Lettice had told him that she was not afraid; but ought he not to be
afraid for her, and do all that was possible to avert a danger from her
which he would not fear on his own account?

Ah, if he could only take counsel with her, how wise and brave she would
be; how he would be encouraged by her advice and streng