arry has presumably been made the
victim of a foul wrong--that Mr. Ferrari was the first to find it
out--and that the guilty persons had reason to fear, not only that he
would acquaint Lord Montbarry with his discovery, but that he would be
a principal witness against them if the scandal was made public in a
court of law. Now mark! Admitting all this, I draw a totally
different conclusion from the conclusion at which you have arrived.
Here is your husband left in this miserable household of three, under
very awkward circumstances for him. What does he do? But for the
bank-note and the written message sent to you with it, I should say
that he had wisely withdrawn himself from association with a
disgraceful discovery and exposure, by taking secretly to flight. The
money modifies this view--unfavourably so far as Mr. Ferrari is
concerned. I still believe he is keeping out of the way. But I now
say he is paid for keeping out of the way--and that bank-note there on
the table is the price of his absence, sent by the guilty persons to
his wife.'

Mrs. Ferrari's watery grey eyes brightened suddenly; Mrs. Ferrari's
dull drab-coloured complexion became enlivened by a glow of brilliant
red.

'It's false!' she cried. 'It's a burning shame to speak of my husband
in that way!'

'I told you I should offend you!' said Mr. Troy.

Agnes interposed once more--in the interests of peace. She took the
offended wife's hand; she appealed to the lawyer to reconsider that
side of his theory which reflected harshly on Ferrari. While she was
still speaking, the servant interrupted her by entering the room with a
visiting-card. It was the card of Henry Westwick; and there was an
ominous request written on it in pencil. 'I bring bad news. Let me
see you for a minute downstairs.' Agnes immediately left the room.

Alone with Mrs. Ferrari, Mr. Troy permitted his natural kindness of
heart to show itself on the surface at last. He tried to make his
peace with the courier's wife.

'You have every claim, my good soul, to resent a reflection cast upon
your husband,' he began. 'I may even say that I respect you for
speaking so warmly in his defence. At the same time, remember, that I
am bound, in such a serious matter as this, to tell you what is really
in my mind. I can have no intention of offending you, seeing that I am
a total stranger to you and to Mr. Ferrari. A thousand pounds is a
large sum of money; and a poor man may excusably be tempted by