andos will have utterly forgotten
you by next June, and that he does not see you again."

"I will not believe it, Lady Lanswell. You are my superior by birth and
fortune, but I would neither exchange mind nor heart with you. You have
sordid and mean ideas. My husband will be true, and seek me when the
time comes."

My lady laughed.

"You are very happy to have such faith in him; I have not half so much
in any creature living. You hold that one card in your hand--you seem to
think it a winning one; it may or may not be. I tell you one thing
frankly: that I have already settled in my own mind who shall be my
son's wife, and I seldom fail in a purpose."

"You are a wicked woman," cried Leone. "I have no fear of you. You may
try all that you will. I do not believe that you will take my husband
from me. You are a wicked woman, and God will punish you, Lady Lanswell.
You have parted husband and wife who loved each other."

"I am not very frightened," laughed my lady. "I consider that I have
been a kind of providence to my son. I have saved him from the effect of
his own folly. Will you allow me to say now that, having exhausted a
very disagreeable subject, this interview must be considered closed! If
you would like any refreshments my housekeeper will be pleased to----"

But the girl drew back with an imperial gesture of scorn.

"I want nothing," she said. "I have a few words to say to you in
parting. I repeat that you are a wicked woman, Lady Lanswell, and that
God will punish you for the wicked deed you have done. I say more,
whether Heaven punishes you or not, _I will_. You have trampled me under
your feet; you have insulted, outraged, tortured me. Listen to the
word--you have tortured me; you have received me with scorn and
contumely; you have laughed at my tears; enjoyed my prayers and
humiliation. I swear that I will be revenged, even should I lose all on
earth to win that revenge. I swear that you shall come and plead to me
on your knees, and I will laugh at you. You shall plead to me with
tears, and I will remind you how I have pleaded in vain. You have wrung
my heart, I will wring yours. My revenge shall be greater than your
cruelty; think, then, how great it will be."

"I repeat that I am not frightened," said the countess, but she shrunk
from the fire of those splendid eyes.

"I was mad to think I should find a woman's heart in you. When the hour
of my revenge comes, my great grief will be that I have a h