ween Thyrza and himself, remembering all that he had
undergone, all that he had at one moment proposed, he could not express
the astonishment which would have given evidence on his behalf. As yet
he had not even tried to affect indignation, for it was against his
nature to play the hypocrite. He knew that his manner was all but a
tacit admission that appearances were against him. But agitation drove
him to the brink of anger, and when Gilbert stood mute, with veiled
eyes, he continued impetuously:

'I tell you that you have amazed me by your news. Are you accusing me
of something? You must speak more plainly. Do you mean that suspicion
has fallen upon me? How? I don't--I can't understand you!'

'I thought you would understand me,' Gilbert replied, gravely, not
offensively, with far more dignity than the other had been able to
preserve. 'Several things compelled me to believe that you knew of her
leaving us. I was told of your meetings with her at the library.'

He paused. Like Egremont, he could not speak his whole thought. Whilst
there remained a possibility that Egremont indeed knew nothing of
Thyrza's disappearance, he might not strengthen his case by making use
of the girl's confession to her sister. He could only make use of
outward circumstances.

'The meetings at the library?' Egremont repeated. 'But do you think
they had any meaning that I can't at once and freely explain to you? It
was the idlest folly on my part. I had a plan that I would get books on
to the shelves that week, and at the end of it take you there and
surprise you. Didn't I imply that in my letter to you from Jersey? It
was childish, of course. On the Monday, Miss Trent surprised me at
work. She had happened to see a box being brought in, and naturally
came to see what was going on. I was unthinking enough to ask her to
keep the secret. By allowing her to help me, I encouraged her to come
again the next day. So much was wholly my fault, but surely not a very
grave one. Do you imagine, Grail, that anything passed between us on
those two mornings which you might not have heard? How is it possible
for you, for _you_, to pass from the fact of that foolish secret to
such suspicions as these?

In the pause Gilbert offered no word.

'And who told you about it? Evidently someone bent on mischief.'

Again a pause. Gilbert stood unmoving.

'You still suspect me? You think I am lying to you? Do you know me no
better than that?'

It rang false, i