to hear the last few sentences of his rival): "stay,
Maltravers. Speak not of love to Evelyn! A horrible foreboding tells me
that, a few hours hence, you would rather pluck out your tongue by the
roots than couple the words of love with the thought of that unfortunate
girl! Oh, if I were vindictive, what awful triumph would await me
now! What retaliation on your harsh judgment, your cold contempt, your
momentary and wretched victory over me! Heaven is my witness, that my
only sentiment is that of terror and woe! Maltravers, in your earliest
youth, did you form connection with one whom they called Alice Darvil?"

"Alice! merciful Heaven! what of her?"

"Did you never know that the Christian name of Evelyn's mother is
Alice?"

"I never asked, I never knew; but it is a common name," faltered
Maltravers.

"Listen to me," resumed Vargrave: "with Alice Darvil you lived in the
neighbourhood of -----, did you not?"

"Go on, go on!"

"You took the name of Butler; by that name Alice Darvil was afterwards
known in the town in which my uncle resided--there are gaps in the
history that I cannot of my own knowledge fill up,--she taught music; my
uncle became enamoured of her, but he was vain and worldly. She removed
into Devonshire, and he married her there, under the name of Cameron, by
which name he hoped to conceal from the world the lowness of her origin,
and the humble calling she had followed. Hold! do not interrupt me.
Alice had one daughter, as was supposed, by a former marriage; that
daughter was the offspring of him whose name she bore--yes, of the false
Butler!--that daughter is Evelyn Cameron!"

"Liar! devil!" cried Maltravers, springing to his feet, as if a shot had
pierced his heart. "Proofs! proofs!"

"Will these suffice?" said Vargrave, as he drew forth the letters of
Winsley and Lady Vargrave. Maltravers took them, but it was some moments
before he could dare to read. He supported himself with difficulty from
falling to the ground; there was a gurgle in his throat like the sound
of the death-rattle; at last he read, and dropped the letters from his
hand.

"Wait me here," he said very faintly, and moved mechanically to the
door.

"Hold!" said Lord Vargrave, laying his hand upon Ernest's arm. "Listen
to me for Evelyn's sake, for her mother's. You are about to seek
Evelyn,--be it so! I know that you possess the god-like gift of
self-control. You will not suffer her to learn that her mother has done
that wh