a
motive for my conduct, Lucilla----" and stopped. His breath failed him;
he struggled again; he forced out a word or two more: "A motive," he went
on, "which I have been afraid to confess----" he paused again, with the
perspiration pouring over his livid face.

Lucilla's patience failed her. "What is your motive?" she asked sharply.

The tone in which she spoke broke down his last reserves of resolution.
He turned his head suddenly so as not to see her. At the final
moment--miserable, miserable man!--at the final moment, he took refuge in
an excuse.

"I don't believe in Herr Grosse," he said faintly, "as you believe in
him."

Lucilla rose, bitterly disappointed, and opened the door that led into
her own room.

"If it had been you who were blind," she answered, "_your_ belief would
have been _my_ belief, and _your_ hope _my_ hope. It seems I have
expected too much from you. Live and learn! live and learn!"

She went into her room, and closed the door on us. I could bear it no
longer. I got up, with the firm resolution in me to follow her, and say
the words which he had failed to say for himself. My hand was on the
door, when I was suddenly pulled back from it by Oscar. I turned, and
faced him in silence.

"No!" he said, with his eyes fixed on mine, and his hand still on my arm.
"If I don't tell her, nobody shall tell her for me."

"She shall be deceived no longer--she must, and shall, hear it," I
answered. "Let me go!"

"You have given me your promise to wait for my leave before you open your
lips. I forbid you to open your lips."

I snapped the fingers of my hand that was free, in his face. "_That_ for
my promise!" I said. "Your contemptible weakness is putting her happiness
in peril as well as yours." I turned my head towards the door, and called
to her. "Lucilla!"

His hand closed fast on my arm. Some lurking devil in him that I had
never seen yet, leapt up and looked at me out of his eyes.

"Tell her," he whispered savagely between his teeth; "and I will
contradict you to your face! If you are desperate, I am desperate too. I
don't care what meanness I am guilty of! I will deny it on my honor; I
will deny it on my oath. You heard what she said about you at Browndown.
She will believe _me_ before _you._"

Lucilla opened her door, and stood waiting on the threshold.

"What is it?" she asked quietly.

A moment's glance at Oscar warned me that he would do what he had
threatened, if I persisted in my