ies died with him. Lucky too for you
that I was a helpless infant at the time, and that the Mahratta
adventurer to whom my father's territory had been transferred in the
shuffling of cards at the end of the war was deeply concerned in hushing
up the story.'

'And pray, why have you nursed your wrath in all these years? Why do
you intrude on me after nearly half a century, with this legend of
rapine and murder?'

'Because for nearly half a century I have been kept in profound
ignorance of my father's fate--in ignorance of my race. Lord
Maulevrier's jealousy banished me from my mother's arms shortly after my
father's death. I was sent to the South of France under the care of an
ayah. My first memories are of a monastery near Marseilles, where I was
reared and educated by a Jesuit community, where I was baptised and
brought up in the Roman Catholic faith. By the influence of the Jesuit
Fathers I was placed in a house of commerce at Marseilles. Funds to
provide for my education and establishment in life, under very modest
conditions, were sent periodically by an agent at Madras. It was known
that I was of East Indian birth, but little more was known about me. It
was only when years had gone by and I was a merchant on my own account
and could afford to go to India on a voyage of discovery--yes, as much a
voyage of discovery as that of Vasco de Gama or of Drake--that I got
from the Madras agent the clue which enabled me, at the cost of infinite
patience and infinite labour, to unravel the mystery of my birth. There
is no need to enter now upon the details of that story. I have
overwhelming documentary evidence--a cloud of witnesses--to convince the
most sceptical as to who and what I am. The documents are some of them
in my valise, at your ladyship's service. Others are at my hotel in
London, ready for the inspection of your ladyship's lawyers. I do not
think you will desire to invite a public inquiry, or force me to recover
my birthright in a court of justice. I believe that you will take a
broader and nobler view of the case, and that you will restore to the
wronged and abandoned son the fortune stolen from his murdered father.'

'How dare you come to me with this tissue of lies? How dare you look me
in the face and charge my dead husband with treachery and dishonour? I
believe neither in your story nor in you, and I defy you to the proof of
this vile charge against the dead!'

'In other words you mean that you will kee