R VILLIERS,--I have thought over the matter on which you
consulted me the other night, and my advice to you is this. Throw
the portrait into the fire, blot out the story from your mind. Never
give it another thought, Villiers, or you will be sorry. You will
think, no doubt, that I am in possession of some secret information,
and to a certain extent that is the case. But I only know a little;
I am like a traveller who has peered over an abyss, and has drawn
back in terror. What I know is strange enough and horrible enough,
but beyond my knowledge there are depths and horrors more frightful
still, more incredible than any tale told of winter nights about the
fire. I have resolved, and nothing shall shake that resolve, to
explore no whit farther, and if you value your happiness you will
make the same determination.

'Come and see me by all means; but we will talk on more cheerful
topics than this.'

Austin folded the letter methodically, and returned it to Villiers.

'It is certainly an extraordinary letter,' he said; 'what does he mean
by the portrait?'

'Ah! I forgot to tell you I have been to Paul Street and have made a
discovery.'

Villiers told his story as he had told it to Clarke, and Austin listened
in silence. He seemed puzzled.

'How very curious that you should experience such an unpleasant
sensation in that room!' he said at length. 'I hardly gather that it was
a mere matter of the imagination; a feeling of repulsion, in short.'

'No, it was more physical than mental. It was as if I were inhaling at
every breath some deadly fume, which seemed to penetrate to every nerve
and bone and sinew of my body. I felt racked from head to foot, my eyes
began to grow dim; it was like the entrance of death.'

'Yes, yes, very strange, certainly. You see, your friend confesses that
there is some very black story connected with this woman. Did you notice
any particular emotion in him when you were telling your tale?'

'Yes, I did. He became very faint, but he assured me that it was a mere
passing attack to which he was subject.'

'Did you believe him?'

'I did at the time, but I don't now. He heard what I had to say with a
good deal of indifference, till I showed him the portrait. It was then
he was seized with the attack of which I spoke. He looked ghastly, I
assure you.'

'Then he must have seen the woman before. But there might be another
explanation; it