is for your good. I can say no more."

He rose suddenly, as if to leave the room; mastered himself; stood for
a moment silently looking at me--then looked away again, and said his
parting words.

"If I succeed, Miss Mina, in my new employment--if I get on to higher
things--is it--is it presuming too much, to ask if I might, some
day--perhaps when you are out riding alone--if I might speak to
you--only to ask if you are well and happy--"

He could say no more. I saw the tears in his eyes; saw him shaken by the
convulsive breathings which break from men in the rare moments when they
cry. He forced it back even then. He bowed to me--oh, God, he bowed to
me, as if he were only my servant! as if he were too far below me to
take my hand, even at that moment! I could have endured anything else;
I believe I could still have restrained myself under any other
circumstances. It matters little now; my confession must be made,
whatever you may think of me. I flew to him like a frenzied creature--I
threw my arms round his neck--I said to him, "Oh, Michael, don't you
know that I love you?" And then I laid my head on his breast, and held
him to me, and said no more.

In that moment of silence, the door of the room was opened. I started,
and looked up. Lady Claudia was standing on the threshold.

I saw in her face that she had been listening--she must have followed
him when he was on his way to my room. That conviction steadied me. I
took his hand in mine, and stood side by side with him, waiting for her
to speak first. She looked at Michael, not at me. She advanced a step or
two, and addressed him in these words:

"It is just possible that _you_ have some sense of decency left. Leave
the room."

That deliberate insult was all that I wanted to make me completely
mistress of myself. I told Michael to wait a moment, and opened my
writing desk. I wrote on an envelope the address in London of a faithful
old servant, who had attended my mother in her last moments. I gave it
to Michael. "Call there to-morrow morning," I said. "You will find me
waiting for you."

He looked at Lady Claudia, evidently unwilling to leave me alone with
her. "Fear nothing," I said; "I am old enough to take care of myself.
I have only a word to say to this lady before I leave the house." With
that, I took his arm, and walked with him to the door, and said good-by
almost as composedly as if we had been husband and wife already.

Lady Claudia's eyes follow