you, a man, act a
double deceit like this?'

'Men do strange things sometimes.'

'What was your reason--come?'

'A mere whim.'

'I might even believe that, if the woman were handsomer than Cytherea,
or if you had been married some time to Cytherea and had grown tired of
her.'

'And can't you believe it, too, under these conditions; that I married
Cytherea, gave her up because I heard that my wife was alive, found that
my wife would not come to live with me, and then, not to let any woman
I love so well as Cytherea run any risk of being displaced and ruined in
reputation, should my wife ever think fit to return, induced this woman
to come to me, as being better than no companion at all?'

'I cannot believe it. Your love for Cytherea was not of such a kind
as that excuse would imply. It was Cytherea or nobody with you. As an
object of passion, you did not desire the company of this Anne Seaway
at all, and certainly not so much as to madly risk your reputation
by bringing her here in the way you have done. I am sure you didn't,
AEneas.'

'So am I,' he said bluntly.

Miss Aldclyffe uttered an exclamation of astonishment; the confession
was like a blow in its suddenness. She began to reproach him bitterly,
and with tears.

'How could you overthrow my plans, disgrace the only girl I ever had any
respect for, by such inexplicable doings!... That woman must leave this
place--the country perhaps. Heavens! the truth will leak out in a day or
two!'

'She must do no such thing, and the truth must be stifled
somehow--nobody knows how. If I stay here, or on any spot of the
civilized globe, as AEneas Manston, this woman must live with me as my
wife, or I am damned past redemption!'

'I will not countenance your keeping her, whatever your motive may be.'

'You must do something,' he murmured. 'You must. Yes, you must.'

'I never will,' she said. 'It is a criminal act.'

He looked at her earnestly. 'Will you not support me through this
deception if my very life depends upon it? Will you not?'

'Nonsense! Life! It will be a scandal to you, but she must leave this
place. It will out sooner or later, and the exposure had better come
now.'

Manston repeated gloomily the same words. 'My life depends upon your
supporting me--my very life.'

He then came close to her, and spoke into her ear. Whilst he spoke he
held her head to his mouth with both his hands. Strange expressions came
over her face; the workings of her mou