while of the first poor fellow
I could find to rid me of Helena by marrying her. I don't like saying
such a thing of a woman, but if you will have the truth--"

"Well, Mr. Philip--and what is the truth?"

"Helena disgusts me."

CHAPTER LVII. HELENA'S DIARY RESUMED.

So it was all settled between them. Philip is to throw me away, like one
of his bad cigars, for this unanswerable reason: "Helena disgusts me."
And he is to persuade Eunice to take my place, and be his wife. Yes! if
I let him do it.

I heard no more of their talk. With that last, worst outrage burning in
my memory, I left the place.

On my way back to the carriage, the dog met me. Truly, a grand creature.
I called him by his name, and patted him. He licked my hand. Something
made me speak to him. I said: "If I was to tell you to tear Mr. Philip
Dunboyne to pieces, would you do it?" The great good-natured brute held
out his paw to shake hands. Well! well! I was not an object of disgust
to the dog.

But the coachman was startled, when he saw me again. He said something,
I did not know what it was; and he produced a pocket-flask, containing
some spirits, I suppose. Perhaps he thought I was going to faint. He
little knew me. I told him to drive back to the place at which I had
hired the cab, and earn his money. He earned it.

On getting home, I found Mrs. Tenbruggen walking up and down the
dining-room, deep in thought. She was startled when we first confronted
each other. "You look dreadfully ill," she said.

I answered that I had been out for a little exercise, and had
over-fatigued myself; and then changed the subject. "Does my father seem
to improve under your treatment?" I asked.

"Very far from it, my dear. I promised that I would try what Massage
would do for him, and I find myself compelled to give it up."

"Why?"

"It excites him dreadfully."

"In what way?"

"He has been talking wildly of events in his past life. His brain is in
some condition which is beyond my powers of investigation. He pointed
to a cabinet in his room, and said his past life was locked up there.
I asked if I should unlock it. He shook with fear; he said I should let
out the ghost of his dead brother-in-law. Have you any idea of what he
meant?"

The cabinet was full of old letters. I could tell her that--and could
tell her no more. I had never heard of his brother-in-law. Another of
his delusions, no doubt. "Did you ever hear him speak," Mrs. Tenbruggen
went