essure
on his shoulder. "Between you and me there must be nothing more about
that. It must be an even partnership. There must be ever so much
about money, and you'll have to go into dreadful details, and make
journeys to Vienna to see that the houses don't tumble down;--but
there must be no question between you and me of whence it came."

"You will not think that I have to come to you for that?"

"Have you ever known me to have a low opinion of myself? Is it
probable that I shall account myself to be personally so mean and of
so little value as to imagine that you cannot love me? I know you
love me. But Phineas, I have not been sure till very lately that you
would ever tell me so. As for me--! Oh, heavens! when I think of it."

"Tell me that you love me now."

"I think I have said so plainly enough. I have never ceased to love
you since I first knew you well enough for love. And I'll tell you
more,--though perhaps I shall say what you will think condemns
me;--you are the only man I ever loved. My husband was very good
to me,--and I was, I think, good to him. But he was many years my
senior, and I cannot say I loved him,--as I do you." Then she turned
to him, and put her head on his shoulder. "And I loved the old Duke,
too, after a fashion. But it was a different thing from this. I will
tell you something about him some day that I have never yet told to a
human being."

"Tell me now."

"No; not till I am your wife. You must trust me. But I will tell
you," she said, "lest you should be miserable. He asked me to be his
wife."

"The old Duke?"

"Yes, indeed, and I refused to be a--duchess. Lady Glencora knew it
all, and, just at the time I was breaking my heart,--like a fool, for
you! Yes, for you! But I got over it, and am not broken-hearted a
bit. Oh, Phineas, I am so happy now."

Exactly at the time she had mentioned on the previous evening, at
half-past twelve, the door was opened, and the Duchess entered the
room. "Oh dear," she exclaimed, "perhaps I am in the way; perhaps I
am interrupting secrets."

"No, Duchess."

"Shall I retire? I will at once if there be anything confidential
going on."

"It has gone on already, and been completed," said Madame Goesler
rising from her seat. "It is only a trifle. Mr. Finn has asked me to
be his wife."

"Well?"

"I couldn't refuse Mr. Finn a little thing like that."

"I should think not, after going all the way to Prague to find a
latch-key! I congratulate yo