e
up partly of suddenly conceived resolve and partly of lingering
shamefacedness.

"Mr. Clyffurde," he began abruptly.

"Yes?"

"Have you any cause to hate me?"

"Why no," replied Clyffurde with his habitual good-humoured smile. "Why
should I have?"

"Have you any cause to hate Mlle. Crystal de Cambray?"

"Certainly not."

"You have no desire," insisted Maurice, "to be revenged on her for the
slight which she put upon you the other night?"

His voice had grown more steady and his look more determined as he put
these rapid questions to Clyffurde, whose expressive face showed no sign
of any feeling in response save that of complete and indifferent
puzzlement.

"I have no desire with regard to Mlle. de Cambray," replied Bobby
quietly, "save that of serving her, if it be in my power."

"You can serve her, Sir," retorted Maurice firmly, "and that right
nobly. You can render the whole of her future life happy beyond what she
herself has ever dared to hope."

"How?"

Maurice paused: once more, with a gesture habitual to him, he crossed
his arms over his chest and resumed his restless march up and down the
narrow room.

Then again he stood still, and again faced the Englishman, his dark
enquiring eyes seeming to probe the latter's deepest thoughts.

"Did you know, Mr. Clyffurde," he asked slowly, "that Mlle. Crystal de
Cambray honours me with her love?"

"Yes. I knew that," replied the other quietly.

"And I love her with my heart and soul," continued Maurice impetuously.
"Oh! I cannot tell you what we have suffered--she and I--when the
exigencies of her position and the will of her father parted
us--seemingly for ever. Her heart was broken and so was mine: and I
endured the tortures of hell when I realised at last that she was lost
to me for ever and that her exquisite person--her beautiful soul--were
destined for the delight of that low-born traitor Victor de Marmont."

He drew breath, for he had half exhausted himself with the volubility
and vehemence of his diction. Also he seemed to be waiting for some
encouragement from Clyffurde, who, however, gave him none, but sat
unmoved and apparently supremely indifferent, while a suffering heart
was pouring out its wails of agony into his unresponsive ear.

"The reason," resumed St. Genis somewhat more calmly, "why M. le Comte
de Cambray was opposed to our union, was purely a financial one. Our
families are of equal distinction and antiquity, but alas! our