ul. Was she not making him too ignoble? Was she
not herself responsible for much of the strangeness in his behaviour of
late? The question she had once asked herself, whether he loved her, she
could not answer doubtfully; was it not his love that had set her icily
against him? If she could not render him love in return, that was the
wrong she did him, the sin she had committed in becoming his wife. Adela
by this time knew too well that, in her threefold vows, love had of
right the foremost place; honour and obedience could not exist without
love. Her wrong was involuntary, none the less she owed him such
reparation as was possible; she must keep her mind open to his better
qualities. A man might fall, yet not be irredeemably base. Oh, that she
had never known of that poor girl in London! Base, doubly and trebly
base, had been his behaviour there, for one ill deed had drawn others
after it. But his repentance, his humiliation, must have been deep, and
of the kind which strengthens against ill-doing in the future.

It had to be done, and had better be done quickly. Adela went to her
boudoir and rang the bell. The servant who came told her that Mutimer
was in the house. She summoned him.

It was five minutes before he appeared. He was preoccupied, though not
gloomily so.

'I thought you were at church,' he said, regarding her absently.

'I came away--because I found something--this!'

She had hoped to speak with calmness, but the interval of waiting had
agitated her, and the fear which no effort could allay struck her heart
as he entered. She held the parchment to him.

'What is it?' he asked, his attention gradually awakened by surprise. He
did not move forward to meet her extended hand.

'You will see--it is the will that we thought was destroyed--old Mr.
Mutimer's will.'

She rose and brought it to him. He looked at her with a sceptical smile,
which was involuntary, and lingered on his face even after he had begun
to read the document.

Adela seated herself again; she had scarcely power to stand. There was a
long silence.

'Where did you find this?' Mutimer inquired at length. His tone
astonished her; it was almost indifferent. But he did not raise his
eyes.

She explained. It was needless, she thought, to give a reason for her
search in the lower cupboard; but the first thing that occurred to
Mutimer was to demand such reason.

A moment's hesitation; then:

'A piece of money rolled down behind the shel