to inform you that
your brother has suffered a relapse. The symptoms are so serious, that
it is my painful duty to summon you instantly to his bedside. I am
making every effort to resist the renewed progress of the malady, and I
have not yet lost all hope of success. But I cannot reconcile it to my
conscience to leave you in ignorance of a serious change in my patient
for the worse, which _may_ be attended by fatal results. With much
sympathy, I remain, etc. etc."

Captain Wragge waited with some anxiety for the effect which this letter
might produce. Mean, selfish, and cowardly as he was, even Noel Vanstone
might feel some compunction at practicing such a deception as was
here suggested on a woman who stood toward him in the position of Mrs.
Lecount. She had served him faithfully, however interested her motives
might be--she had lived since he was a lad in the full possession of his
father's confidence--she was living now under the protection of his own
roof. Could be fail to remember this; and, remembering it, could he lend
his aid without hesitation to the scheme which was now proposed to him?
Captain Wragge unconsciously retained belief enough in human nature to
doubt it. To his surprise, and, it must be added, to his relief, also,
his apprehensions proved to be groundless. The only emotions aroused in
Noel Vanstone's mind by a perusal of the letter were a hearty admiration
of his friend's idea, and a vainglorious anxiety to claim the credit to
himself of being the person who carried it out. Examples may be found
every day of a fool who is no coward; examples may be found occasionally
of a fool who is not cunning; but it may reasonably be doubted whether
there is a producible instance anywhere of a fool who is not cruel.

"Perfect!" cried Noel Vanstone, clapping his hands. "Mr. Bygrave, you
are as good as Figaro in the French comedy. Talking of French, there is
one serious mistake in this clever letter of yours--it is written in the
wrong language. When the doctor writes to Lecount, he writes in French.
Perhaps you meant me to translate it? You can't manage without my help,
can you? I write French as fluently as I write English. Just look at me!
I'll translate it, while I sit here, in two strokes of the pen."

He completed the translation almost as rapidly as Captain Wragge had
produced the original. "Wait a minute!" he cried, in high critical
triumph at discovering another defect in the composition of his
inge