woman.

Triplet's natural impulse was to repeat most warmly his offers of
service. He did so; and then, conscious of the picture, had a misgiving.

"Dear Mr. Triplet," began Mrs. Vane, "you know this person, Mrs.
Woffington?"

"Yes, madam," replied Triplet, lowering his eyes, "I am honored by her
acquaintance."

"You will take me to the theater where she acts?"

"Yes, madam; to the boxes, I presume?"

"No! oh, no! How could I bear that? To the place where the actors and
actresses are."

Triplet demurred. This would be courting that very collision, the dread
of which even now oppressed him.

At the first faint sign of resistance she began to supplicate him, as if
he was some great, stern tyrant.

"Oh, you must not, you cannot refuse me. You do not know what I risk
to obtain this. I have risen from my bed to come to you. I have a fire
here!" She pressed her hand to her brow. "Oh, take me to her!"

"Madam, I will do anything for you. But be advised; trust to my
knowledge of human nature. What you require is madness. Gracious
Heavens! you two are rivals, and when rivals meet there's murder or
deadly mischief."

"Ah! if you knew my sorrow, you would not thwart me. Oh, Mr. Triplet!
little did I think you were as cruel as the rest." So then this cruel
monster whimpered out that he should do any folly she insisted upon.
"Good, kind Mr. Triplet!" said Mrs. Vane. "Let me look in your face?
Yes, I see you are honest and true. I will tell you all." Then she
poured in his ear her simple tale, unadorned and touching as Judah's
speech to Joseph. She told him how she loved her husband; how he had
loved her; how happy they were for the first six months; how her heart
sank when he left her; how he had promised she should join him, and on
that hope she lived. "But for two months he had ceased to speak of this,
and I grew heart-sick waiting for the summons that never came. At last
I felt I should die if I did not see him; so I plucked up courage and
wrote that I must come to him. He did not forbid me, so I left our
country home. Oh, sir! I cannot make you know how my heart burned to be
by his side. I counted the hours of the journey; I counted the miles.
At last I reached his house; I found a gay company there. I was a little
sorry, but I said: 'His friends shall be welcome, right welcome. He has
asked them to welcome his wife.'"

"Poor thing!" muttered Triplet.

"Oh, Mr. Triplet! they were there to do honor to ----, and