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〃You can trust both of us；〃 her husband answered。
The firmness of his tone irritated her。 〃I will judge of that for myself；〃 she said。 〃Go back to the next room；〃 she added； turning to Mrs。 Evelin； 〃I will hear you separately。〃
The companion； whose duty it was to obeywhose modesty and gentleness had won her mistress's heartrefused to retire。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I have been deceived too。 I have _my_ right to hear what Lord Howel has to say for himself。〃
Beaucourt attempted to support the claim that she had advanced。 His wife sternly signed to him to be silent。 〃What do you mean？〃 she said； addressing the question to Mrs。 Evelin。
〃I mean this。 The person whom you speak of as a nobleman was presented to me as 'Mr。 Vincent； an artist。' But for that deception I should never have set foot in your ladyship's house。〃
〃Is this true； my lord？〃 Lady Howel asked； with a contemptuous emphasis on the title of nobility。
〃Quite true；〃 her husband answered。 〃I thought it possible that my rank might prove an obstacle in the way of my hopes。 The blame rests on me； and on me alone。 I ask Mrs。 Evelin to pardon me for an act of deception which I deeply regret。〃
Lady Howel was a just woman。 Under other circumstances she might have shown herself to be a generous woman。 That brighter side of her character was incapable of revealing itself in the presence of Mrs。 Evelin； young and beautiful； and in possession of her husband's heart。 She could say； 〃I beg your pardon； madam； I have not treated you justly。〃 But no self…control was strong enough to restrain the next bitter words from passing her lips。 〃At my age；〃 she said； 〃Lord Howel will soon be free； you will not have long to wait for him。〃
The young widow looked at her sadlyanswered her sadly。
〃Oh； my lady； your better nature will surely regret having said that！〃
For a moment her eyes rested on Beaucourt； dim with rising tears。 She left the roomand left the house。
There was silence between the husband and wife。 Beaucourt was the first to speak again。
〃After what you have just heard； do you persist in your jealousy of that lady； and your jealousy of me？〃 he asked。
〃I have behaved cruelly to her and to you。 I am ashamed of myself；〃 was all she said in reply。 That expression of sorrow； so simple and so true； did not appeal in vain to the gentler side of Beaucourt's nature。 He kissed his wife's hand； he tried to console her。
〃You may forgive me；〃 she answered。 〃I cannot forgive myself。 That poor lady's last words have made my heart ache。 What I said to her in anger I ought to have said generously。 Why should she not wait for you？ After your life with mea life of kindness； a life of self…sacrificeyou deserve your reward。 Promise me that you will marry the woman you loveafter my death has released you。〃
〃You distress me； and needlessly distress me；〃 he said。 〃What you are thinking of； my dear； can never happen； no； not even if〃 He left the rest unsaid。
〃Not even if you were free？〃 she asked。
〃Not even then。〃
She looked toward the next room。 〃Go in； Howel； and bring Mrs。 Evelin back； I have something to say to her。〃
The discovery that she had left the house caused no fear that she had taken to flight with the purpose of concealing herself。 There was a prospect before the poor lonely woman which might be trusted to preserve her from despair； to say the least of it。
During her brief residence in Beaucourt's house she had shown to Lady Howel a letter received from a relation； who had emigrated to New Zealand with her husband and her infant children some years since。 They had steadily prospered； they were living in comfort； and they wanted for nothing but a trustworthy governess to teach their children。 The mother had accordingly written； asking if her relative in England could recommend a competent person； and offering a liberal salary。 In showing the letter to Lady Howel； Mrs。 Evelin had said： 〃If I had not been so happy as to attract your notice； I might have offered to be the governess myself。〃
Assuming that it had now occurred to her to act on this idea； Lady Howel felt assured that she would apply for advice either to the publishers who had recommended her； or to Lord Howel's old friend。
Beaucourt at once offered to make th e inquiries which might satisfy his wife that she had not been mistaken。 Readily accepting his proposal； she asked at the same time for a few minutes of delay。
〃I want to say to you；〃 she explained； 〃what I had in my mind to say to Mrs。 Evelin。 Do you object to tell me why she refused to marry you？ I couldn't have done it in her place。〃
〃You would have done it； my dear； as I think； if her misfortune had been your misfortune。〃 With those prefatory words he told the miserable story of Mrs。 Evelin's marriage。
Lady Howel's sympathies； strongly excited； appeared to have led her to a conclusion which she was not willing to communicate to her husband。 She asked him； rather abruptly； if he would leave it to her to find Mrs。 Evelin。 〃I promise；〃 she added； 〃to tell you what I am thinking of； when I come back。〃
In two minutes more she was ready to go out； and had hurriedly left the house。
V。
AFTER a long absence Lady Howel returned； accompanied by Dick。 His face and manner betrayed unusual agitation； Beaucourt noticed it。
〃I may well be excited；〃 Dick declared； 〃after what I have heard； and after what we have done。 Lady Howel； yours is the brain that thinks to some purpose。 Make our reportI wait for you。〃
But my lady preferred waiting for Dick。 He consented to speak first； for the thoroughly characteristic reason that he could 〃get over it in no time。〃
〃I shall try the old division；〃 he said； 〃into First； Second； and Third。 Don't be afraid； I am not going to preachquite the contrary； I am going to be quick about it。 First； then； Mrs。 Evelin has decided； under sound advice； to go to New Zealand。 Second； I have telegraphed to her relations at the other end of the world to tell them that she is coming。 Third； and last； Farleigh & Halford have sent to the office； and secured a berth for her in the next ship that sailsdate the day after to…morrow。 Done in half a minute。 Now； Lady Howel！〃
〃I will begin and end in half a minute too；〃 she said； 〃if I can。 First；〃 she continued； turning to her husband； 〃I found Mrs。 Evelin at your friend's house。 She kindly let me say all that I could say for the relief of my poor heart。 Secondly〃
She hesitated； smiled uneasily； and came to a full stop。
〃I can't do it； Howel；〃 she confessed； 〃I speak to you as usual； or I can never get on。 Saying many things in few wordsif the ladies who assert our rights will forgive me for confessing itis an accomplishment in which we are completely beaten by the men。 You must have thought me rude； my dear； for leaving you very abruptly； without a word of explanation。 The truth is； I had an idea in my head； and I kept it to myself （old people are proverbially cautious； you know） till I had first found out whether it was worth mentioning。 When you were speaking of the wretched creature who had claimed Mrs。 Evelin's husband as her own； you said she was an inveterate drunkard。 A woman in that state of degradation is capable； as I persist i