Potts, valet to the late Sir Lemuel Levison.

The young Duke of Hereward shrunk from this man. He could not bring
himself to speak with one whom he could not, in his own mind, clear from
suspicion.

He passed the valet, walking quickly, and gaining the bridge.

Then he heard footsteps rapidly following him, and the voice of the
ex-valet excitedly calling after him:

"My Lord Arondelle! oh! I beg pardon! Your grace! Your grace! For the
love of Heaven, let me speak to you!"

Thus adjured, the Duke of Hereward paused, and permitted the ex-valet to
come up beside him.

The wretched man was out of breath, pale, panting, trembling, ready to
faint. He tottered toward the bulwarks of the bridge, grasped them, and
leaned on them for support.

"What do you want of me, Potts?" inquired the duke.

"Oh, your grace! only to speak to you!" gasped the man.

"What can you have to say to me?" sternly demanded the duke.

"_This_, your grace!" said the man, suddenly springing forward and
falling on his knees at the feet of the duke. "_This_ I have to say,
your grace! Although the Court has not cleared me, I am innocent of my
master's blood! I am! I am! I am! as the Heaven above us hears and
knows! Oh! say you believe me, my lord duke!" cried the poor wretch,
wringing his hands.

"Your words and manner are very impressive; nevertheless, I cannot place
confidence in them," said the duke, coldly.

"Oh, my lord! my lord! Oh, my lord! my lord!" groaned the valet, lifting
both his hands to heaven, as if in appeal from a great injustice.

The duke was moved.

"If you _are_ guiltless, why should you care whether I, or any other
fallible mortal, should consider you guilty?" he inquired.

"Oh," cried the man, clasping his hands with the energy of
despair--"because _every_ body thinks me guilty! _No_ one
believes me innocent, though I am guiltless of my master's blood, so help
me Heaven!"

"The circumstances, though not enough to convict you in a court of law,
where every doubt must go in favor of the accused, were still strong
enough to lay you under suspicion, and open to a second arrest and trial
for your life, should new evidence turn up," quietly replied the duke.

"I know it! I know it, your grace. But no new evidence against me can
turn up! Lord grant that evidence in my favor might do so! But that
cannot happen either. The circumstances that accused, but could not
convict, nor acquit me, leave me still under the ban! Yes