h the dangerous part
of his illness; confessing the one reason which had prevailed with me
to leave him; and entreating him to suspend his opinion of me until time
had proved that I loved him more dearly than ever. This last letter I
inclosed to my mother-in-law, leaving it to her discretion to choose the
right time for giving it to her son. I positively forbade Mrs. Macallan,
however, to tell Eustace of the new tie between us. Although he _had_
separated himself from me, I was determined that he should not hear
it from other lips than mine. Never mind why. There are certain little
matters which I must keep to myself; and this is one of them.

My letters being written, my duty was done. I was free to play my last
card in the game--the darkly doubtful game which was neither quite for
me nor quite against me as the chances now stood.

CHAPTER XXXIX. ON THE WAY TO DEXTER.

"I DECLARE to Heaven, Valeria, I believe that monster's madness is
infectious--and you have caught it!"

This was Benjamin's opinion of me (on my safe arrival at the villa)
after I had announced my intention of returning Miserrimus Dexter's
visit, in his company.

Being determined to carry my point, I could afford to try the influence
of mild persuasion. I begged my good friend to have a little patience
with me. "And do remember what I have already told you," I added. "It is
of serious importance to me to see Dexter again."

I only heaped fuel on the fire. "See him again?" Benjamin repeated
indignantly. "See him, after he grossly insulted you, under my roof, in
this very room? I can't be awake; I must be asleep and dreaming!"

It was wrong of me, I know. But Benjamin's virtuous indignation was so
very virtuous that it let the spirit of mischief loose in me. I really
could not resist the temptation to outrage his sense of propriety by
taking an audaciously liberal view of the whole matter.

"Gently, my good friend, gently," I said. "We must make allowances for a
man who suffers under Dexter's infirmities, and lives Dexter's life. And
really we must not let our modesty lead us beyond reasonable limits. I
begin to think that I took rather a prudish view of the thing myself at
the time. A woman who respects herself, and whose whole heart is with
her husband, is not so very seriously injured when a wretched crippled
creature is rude enough to put his arm around her waist. Virtuous
indignation (if I may venture to say so) is sometimes very cheap
i