why should not he be killed as well as another? In her present frame
of mind she felt very little pity for Mr. Bonteen. After a fashion a
verdict of "served him right" crossed her mind, as it had doubtless
crossed that of the Duchess when she was writing her letter. The man
had made himself so obnoxious that it was well that he should be out
of the way. But not on that account would she believe that Phineas
Finn had murdered him.

Could it be true that the man after all was dead? Marvellous reports,
and reports marvellously false, do spread themselves about the world
every day. But this report had come from the Duke, and he was not
a man given to absurd rumours. He had heard the story in Downing
Street, and if so it must be true. Of course she would go down to the
Duchess at the hour fixed. It was now a little after three, and she
ordered the carriage to be ready for her at a quarter past five. Then
she told the servant, at first to admit no one who might call, and
then to come up and let her know, if any one should come, without
sending the visitor away. It might be that some one would come to her
expressly from Phineas, or at least with tidings about this affair.

Then she read the letter again, and those few last words in it stuck
to her thoughts like a burr. "Think of Lady Laura, with one mad and
the other in Newgate." Was this man,--the only man whom she had ever
loved,--more to Lady Laura Kennedy than to her; or rather, was Lady
Laura more to him than was she herself? If so, why should she fret
herself for his sake? She was ready enough to own that she could
sacrifice everything for him, even though he should be standing as a
murderer in the dock, if such sacrifice would be valued by him. He
had himself told her that his feelings towards Lady Laura were simply
those of an affectionate friend; but how could she believe that
statement when all the world were saying the reverse? Lady Laura was
a married woman,--a woman whose husband was still living,--and of
course he was bound to make such an assertion when he and she were
named together. And then it was certain,--Madame Goesler believed it
to be certain,--that there had been a time in which Phineas had asked
for the love of Lady Laura Standish. But he had never asked for her
love. It had been tendered to him, and he had rejected it! And now
the Duchess,--who, with all her inaccuracies, had that sharpness of
vision which enables some men and women to see into facts