turned round quickly, and started to his feet.

The woman in the other room had stealthily opened the door, and stood
there, disheveled and half-dressed, with a cunning smile on her face.

"Alan, my husband!" she said, in French, holding out both hands to him,
and reeling a step nearer, "here we are at last. I have longed for this
day, my friend--let us be happy. After so many misfortunes, to be
reunited once again! Is it not charming?"

She spoke incoherently, running her words into one another, and yet
doing her best to be understood.

Alan looked at her steadily. "What do you want?" he asked. "Why have you
sought me out?"

"My faith, what should I want? Money, to begin with."

"And then?"

"And then--justice! Bah! Am I not the daughter of Testard, who dispensed
with his own hand the justice of Heaven against his persecutors?"

"I have heard that before," Alan said. "It was at Aix-les-Bains. And you
_still_ want justice!"

"Justice, my child. Was it not at Aix-les-Bains that you tried to kill
Henri de Hauteville? Was it not in the park hard by that you shot at me,
and almost assassinated me? But, have no fear! All I ask is money--the
half of your income will satisfy me. Pay me that, and you are
safe--unless my rage should transport me one of these fine days! Refuse,
and I denounce you through the town, and play the game of scandal--as I
know how to play it! Which shall it be?"

"You are my wife. Perhaps there is a remedy for that--now that you are
here, we shall see! But, meanwhile, you have a claim. To-morrow morning
I Will settle it as you wish. You shall not be left to want."

"It is reasonable. Good-night, my friend! I am going to sleep again."

She went back into the drawing-room, laughing aloud, whilst Alan, after
doing his best to console Mrs. Bundlecombe, departed in search of a
night's lodging under another roof.

CHAPTER XIII.

SIR JOHN PYNSENT PROPHESIES.

On a sultry evening in the middle of August, a few choice spirits were
gathered together in one of the smoking-rooms of the Oligarchy.

All but one were members of the Upper or Lower House, and they were
lazily enjoying the unusual chance (for such busy men, and at such a
critical period of the session) which enabled them to smoke their cigars
in Pall Mall before midnight on a Tuesday. Either there had been a
count-out, or there was obstruction in the House, which was no immediate
concern of theirs, or they had made an arrangem