have come to you--some impulse has sent me. Another
woman in my place would have looked on you as a successful rival and
have hated you. I cannot. The soul that has stirred other souls cannot
be base; you must be noble and good or you would not influence the
hearts and souls of men. Oh, madame, I have come to you with two lives
in my hands. Will you listen to me?"

The dark, beautiful head of the gifted singer was bent for a few moments
over the golden head of her rival. Then Leone raised her eyes to
Marion's face.

"You are trembling," she said; "you shall speak to me as you will, but
you shall speak to me here."

Some warm, loving irresistible impulse came to her; she could not hate
or hurt this fair, gentle lady whom the countess had put in her place,
and whom her husband did not love; a great impulse of pity came over
her, a sweet and generous compassion filled her heart.

"You shall speak to me here," she repeated, clasping her arms round the
trembling figure and laying the golden head on her breast. She kissed
the fair, sad face with a passion of love. "There," she said, "Lady
Marion, if I had wronged you even in the least, I should not dare do
that. Now tell me what you have come to say. Do not tremble so," and the
tender arms tightened their clasp. "Do not be afraid to speak to me."

"I am not afraid, for Heaven sent me," said Lady Marion. "I know that
you will tell me the truth. I am as certain of that as I am of my own
life. I have been very unhappy over you, Madame Vanira, for my husband
seems to have cared more for you than for me."

"Has your husband ever told you anything about me?" asked Leone, gently.

And the answer was:

"No, nothing, except that, like everyone else, he admired you very
much."

"Nothing more?" asked Leone.

"No, nothing more."

"Then," said Leone to herself, "the secret that he has kept I will keep,
and this fair, tender woman shall never know that I once believed myself
his wife."

Lady Marion wondered why she bent down and kissed her with all the
fervor of self-sacrifice.

"I have been very unhappy," continued Lady Marion. "I loved and admired
you. I never had the faintest suspicion in my mind against you, until
some one came to tell me that you and my husband had spent a day on the
river together. I know it was true, but he would not explain it."

"Let me explain it," said Leone, sadly. "I trust you as you trust me. I
have had a great sorrow in my love; greater--oh