She had opened the door while we were too much absorbed in our
talk to hear her.

Selina attempted to leave the room. I caught her by the hand, and held
her back. I was afraid of what I might do if she left me by myself.
Never have I felt anything like the rage that tortured me, when I saw
Helena looking at us with the same wicked smile on her lips that had
insulted me when we met on the stairs. "Have _we_ anything to be ashamed
of?" I said to Selina. "Stay where you are."

"You may be of some use, Miss Jillgall, if you stay," my sister
suggested. "Eunice seems to be trembling. Is she angry, or is she ill?"

The sting of this was in the tone of her voice. It was the hardest thing
I ever had to do in my life--but I did succeed in controlling myself.

"Go on with what you have to say," I answered, "and don't notice me."

"You are not very polite, my dear, but I can make allowances. Oh, come!
come! putting up your hands to stop your ears is too childish. You would
do better to express regret for having misled your father. Yes! you did
mislead him. Only a few days since, you left him to suppose that you
were engaged to Philip. It became my duty, after that, to open his eyes
to the truth; and if I unhappily provoked him, it was your fault. I was
strictly careful in the language I used. I said: 'Dear father, you have
been misinformed on a very serious subject. The only marriage engagement
for which your kind sanction is requested, is _my_ engagement. _I_ have
consented to become Mrs. Philip Dunboyne.'"

"Stop!" I said.

"Why am I to stop?"

"Because I have something to say. You and I are looking at each other.
Does my face tell you what is passing in my mind?"

"Your face seems to be paler than usual," she answered--"that's all."

"No," I said; "that is not all. The devil that possessed me, when I
discovered you with Philip, is not cast out of me yet. Silence the
sneering devil that is in You, or we may both live to regret it."

Whether I did or did not frighten her, I cannot say. This only I
know--she turned away silently to the door, and went out.

I dropped on the sofa. That horrid hungering for revenge, which I felt
for the first time when I knew how Helena had wronged me, began to
degrade and tempt me again. In the effort to get away from this new evil
self of mine, I tried to find sympathy in Selina, and called to her to
come and sit by me. She seemed to be startled when I looked at her, but
she recovered h