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pinning her faith on a newspaper！ speaking； with a perverse expression of interest； of a stage…play and an actor！ Even Marmaduke witnessed this lamentable exhibition of backsliding with some appearance of alarm。 〃It's not her fault； sir；〃 he said； interceding with me。 〃It's the fault of the newspaper。 Don't blame her！〃 I held my peace； determining inwardly to pray for her。 Shortly afterward my daughter and I went out。 Marmaduke accompanied us part of the way； and left us at a telegraph office。 〃Who are you going to telegraph to？〃 Felicia asked。 Another mystery！ He answered； 〃Business of my own； my dear〃and went into the office。
September 12th。Is my miserable son…in…law's house under a curse？ The yellow…haired woman in the open carriage drove up to the door at half…past ten this morning； in a state of distraction。 Felicia and I saw her from the drawing…room balconya tall woman in gorgeous garments。 She knocked with her own hand at the doorshe cried out distractedly； 〃Where is he？ I must see him！〃 At the sound of her voice； Marmaduke （playing with his little dog in the drawing…room） rushed downstairs and out into the street。 〃Hold your tongue！〃 we heard him say to her。 〃What are you here for？〃
What she answered we failed to hear； she was certainly crying。 Marmaduke stamped on the pavement like a man beside himselftook her roughly by the arm； and led her into the house。
Before I could utter a word； Felicia left me and flew headlong down the stairs。
She was in time to hear the dining…room locked。 Following her； I prevented the poor jealous creature from making a disturbance at the door。 God forgive menot knowing how else to quiet herI degraded myself by advising her to listen to what they said。 She instantly opened the door of the back dining…room； and beckoned to me to follow。 I naturally hesitated。 〃I shall go mad；〃 she whispered； 〃if you leave me by myself！〃 What could I do？ I degraded myself the second time。 For my own childin pity for my own child！
We heard them； through the flimsy modern folding…doors； at those times when he was most angry； and she most distracted。 That is to say； we heard them when they spoke in their loudest tones。
〃How did you find out where I live？〃 says he。 〃Oh； you're ashamed of me？〃 says she。 〃Mr。 Helmsley was with us yesterday evening。 That's how I found out！〃 〃What do you mean？〃 〃I mean that Mr。 Helmsley had your card and address in his pocket。 Ah； you were obliged to give your address when you had to clear up that matter of the bracelet！ You cruel； cruel man； what have I done to deserve such a note as you sent me this morning？〃 〃Do what the note tells you！〃 〃Do what the note tells me？ Did anybody ever hear a man talk so； out of a lunatic asylum？ Why； you haven't even the grace to carry out your own wicked deceptionyou haven't even gone to bed！〃 There the voices grew less angry； and we missed what followed。 Soon the lady burst out again； piteously entreating him this time。 〃Oh； Marmy； don't ruin me！ Has anybody offended you？ Is there anything you wish to have altered？ Do you want more money？ It is too cruel to treat me in this wayit is indeed！〃 He made some answer； which we were not able to hear； we could only suppose that he had upset her temper again。 She went on louder than ever 〃I've begged and prayed of youand you're as hard as iron。 I've told you about the Princeand _that_ has had no effect on you。 I have done now。 We'll see what the doctor says。〃 He got angry； in his turn； we heard him again。 〃I won't see the doctor！〃 〃Oh； you refuse to see the doctor？I shall make your refusal knownand if there's law in England； you shall feel it！〃 Their voices dropped again； some new turn seemed to be taken by the conversation。 We heard the lady once more； shrill and joyful this time。 〃There's a dear！ You see it； don't you； in the right light？ And you haven't forgotten the old times； have you？ You're the same dear； honorable； kind…hearted fellow that you always were！〃
I caught hold of Felicia； and put my hand over her mouth。
There was a sound in the next room which might have beenI cannot be certainthe sound of a kiss。 The next moment； we heard the door of the room unlocked。 Then the door of the house was opened； and the noise of retreating carriage…wheels followed。 We met him in the hall； as he entered the house again。
My daughter walked up to him； pale and determined。
〃I insist on knowing who that woman is； and what she wants here。〃 Those were her first words。 He looked at her like a man in utter confusion。 〃Wait till this evening； I am in no state to speak to you now！〃 With that； he snatched his hat off the hall table and rushed out of the house。
It is little more than three weeks since they returned to London from their happy wedding…tourand it has come to this！
The clock has just struck seven； a letter has been left by a messenger； addressed to my daughter。 I had persuaded her； poor soul； to lie down in her own room。 God grant that the letter may bring her some tidings of her husband！ I please myself in the hope of hearing good news。
My mind has not been kept long in suspense。 Felicia's waiting…woman has brought me a morsel of writing paper； with these lines penciled on it in my daughter's handwriting： 〃Dearest father； make your mind easy。 Everything is explained。 I cannot trust myself to speak to you about it to…nightand _he_ doesn't wish me to do so。 Only wait till tomorrow； and you shall know all。 He will be back about eleven o'clock。 Please don't wait up for himhe will come straight to me。〃
September 13th。The scales have fallen from my eyes； the light is let in on me at last。 My bewilderment is not to be uttered in wordsI am like a man in a dream。
Before I was out of my room in the morning； my mind was upset by the arrival of a telegram addressed to myself。 It was the first thing of the kind I ever received； I trembled under the prev ision of some new misfortune as I opened the envelope。
Of all the people in the world； the person sending the telegram was sister Judith！ Never before did this distracting relative confound me as she confounded me now。 Here is her message： 〃You can't come back。 An architect from Edinburgh asserts his resolution to repair the kirk and the manse。 The man only waits for his lawful authority to begin。 The money is readybut who has found it？ Mr。 Architect is forbidden to tell。 We live in awful times。 How is Felicia？〃
Naturally concluding that Judith's mind must be deranged； I went downstairs to meet my son…in…law （for the first time since the events of yesterday） at the late breakfast which is customary in this house。 He was waiting for mebut Felicia was not present。 〃She breakfasts in her room this morning；〃 says Marmaduke； 〃and I am to give you the explanation which has already satisfied your daughter。 Will you take it at great length； sir？ or will you have it in one word？〃 There was something in his manner that I did not at all likehe seemed to be setting me at defiance。 I said； stiffly； 〃Brevity is best； I will have it in one word。〃
〃Here it is then；〃 he answered。 〃I am Barrymore。 〃
POSTSCRIPT ADDED BY FELICIA。
If the last line extracted from my dear father's Diary does not contain explanati