the truth up in silver paper.--And I should
feel it my duty to do the same again to-morrow; though there are
pleasanter things in life, Mary, I can assure you, than informing a low
mongrel like Ocock that his wife is drinking on the sly. You can have
no notion, my dear, of the compliments one calls down on one's head by
so doing. The case is beyond my grasp, of course, and I am cloaking my
own shortcomings by making scandalous insinuations against a delicate
lady, who 'takes no more than her position entitles her to'--his very
words, Mary!--'for the purpose of keeping up her strength.'" And Mahony
laughed hotly.

"Yes, but was it--I mean... was it really necessary to say it?"
stammered Mary still at sea. And as her husband only shrugged his
shoulders: "Then I can't pretend to be surprised at what has happened,
Richard. Mr. Henry will NEVER forgive you. He thinks so much of
everything and every one belonging to him."

"Pray, can I help that? ... help his infernal pride? And, good God,
Mary, can't you see that, far more terrible than my having had to tell
him the truth, is the fact of there being such a truth to tell?"

"Oh yes, indeed I can," and the warm tears rushed to Mary's eyes.
"Poor, poor little Agnes!--Richard, it comes of her having once been
married to that dreadful man. And though she doesn't say so, yet I
don't believe she's really happy in her second marriage either. There
are so many things she's not allowed to do--and she's afraid of Mr.
Henry, I know she is. You see he's displeased when she's dull or
unwell; she must always be bright and look pretty; and I expect the
truth is, since her illness she has taken to taking things, just to
keep her spirits up." Here Mary saw a ray of light, and snatched at it.
"But in that case mightn't the need for them pass, as she grows
stronger?"

"I lay no claim to be a prophet, my dear."

"For it does seem strange that I never noticed anything," went on Mary,
more to herself than to him. "I've seen Agnes at all hours of the
day... when she wasn't in the least expecting visitors.--Yes, Richard,
I do know people sometimes eat things to take the smell away. But the
idea of Agnes doing anything so ... so low--oh, isn't it JUST possible
there might be some mistake?"

"Oh, well, if you're going to imitate Ocock and try to teach me my
business!" gave back Mahony with an angry gesture, and sitting down at
the table, he pulled books and papers to him.

"As if such a thing